Curtain of Light
by Sparklin Snow. Sunkist Stars
Summary: AU: What if Katniss and Peeta's generations were born several decades later? After their Hunger Games, the rebels never form. Now it's the 100th Hunger Games, and Panem is starting to brew a new revolution...
1. Chapter 1: Pilot

**(A/N):**

**Sparkles **owns Alaina and Jewel

**Snowwy **owns Skyler and Tabitha

**Sunkist **owns Laurel and Brook

**Stars** will come in later in our next story

**Sunkist: **Okay, I'm the one posting our first chapter! Mainly because I'm havin a hard time falling asleep, so I went ahead and finished editing it, so here it is! first a couple of notes, there are some law twists in our version of the Hunger games, and Time twists too. Just follow along with things, this is the 100th Hunger Games, so yes, we're pretending that Katniss, and Peeta never started a rebellion, instead they were born a couple decades late, along with Haymitch, so yes, this will take a little getting used to, but please don't critisize on our weird time lapses or bending of the Capitol's Laws, this is our version of the Hunger Games with our own OCs'. Also, this is a pre-written story, it was written last year, and now that we've turned 13, we're ready to post, so please, don't give us too many requests, we'd hate to disappoint anyone...

**Disclaimer:** Sparkles, Snowwy, and Sunkist **do not** own the Hunger Games (Neither does Stars, I'm not sure if she counts right now)

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><p><strong>Chapter 1)<strong>

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><p><strong>Alaina<strong>

It is reaping day.

The second stupid day President Snow made up. I was looking out the window when my little sister Rose tapped me on the shoulder.

"Is today the day?" She asked sleepily.

"Yes, today is the day" I replied, smiling. I know I shouldn't be smiling on reaping day, nobody does, but I did not want my little sister to worry about me. I helped Rose get into her sly blue cotton dress. Then I got dressed in my forest green shirt with puffy sleeves that go up to my elbow, and my black hunting pants. I brushed my tangled hair and put it into a long black braid going down my back. When Rose and I entered the kitchen there was a note stuck to the kitchen table. It read:

_Rose and Alaina,_

_I'm out buying things. Meet you in the town square._

_Love Dad._

Of course, out buying liquor. He promised Rose and me that he would stop. I guess lying is in his blood. He lied to my mom when he said he would never love another. But a year ago my mother found out that he was dating a young girl named Mellissa Donahue. She was twenty-three and my dad is in his forties. When he came home one night, my mom and dad had a fight. He slapped her so hard in the face that she got a red hand mark on her cheek. That same night, she moved out and we have not seen her since.

When we got to the town square I had Rose go with Evan Devion. I signed up, and went over to the area where the girls twelve to eighteen years of age were supposed to go. We all waited for two minutes until Tinka Hess climbed on the stage. She said all that was needed to be said, and then she pulled out a name. She waited for a while, to build up the tension. I silently prayed that my name would not be said, but my prayers were not answered.

"Alaina Cedar?" Tinka called out. As I walked up to the stage my whole life flashed before my eyes, The day my father brought me to the mines, The night my little sister was born, The day I fell and broke my leg, The time at school when Evan Devion smiled and said "Hey" to me. I could feel every eye on me. Everything was silent. I am only twelve years old; my name was only put in once! As I sat down in the small green chair, Tinka called out the next girl who will be participating in the Quarter Quell: Tabitha Derickson, my best friend. When she sat down we both looked at each other, I could see that she was crying. I was hiding all my emotions, so nobody could see what I was really feeling. Tabitha clearly had no concern.

Mayor Dockson finished it all up saying blah, blah this, and blah, blah that. Well, that is what I heard in my head anyway. Large men in white suites brought us to a blue room for people to say their final good byes. The first person to visit me was Rose.

"Are you really going?" she asked with her head down.

"I guess I am." I sighed.

"I brought you something," she said. Then she pulled out a rainbow colored anklet with peace signs and music notes on it.

"Thank you so much!" we hugged and said I love you then the big white guard took her away. The second person was, surprisingly, Evan.

"Hey" he said. I tried not to blush as I said "Hey" back.

"Um... look I know your dad is well a drunken addict. So uh my family and I will take care of Rose while you are gone." He burst out. I just sat there silently, and he stared at me. "Is that okay with you?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's OK." I replied. Before the guard came in to say his time is up, out of nowhere he hugged me and told me to promise that I will win this thing. For him, and Rose. I promised.

Then the guards in white took Tabitha and me to a shiny black train, which we will be riding in all the way to the Capitol. I was told to go to my room and Tabitha to hers. I didn't have much stuff. The guards gave us five minutes to pack everything up. Carefully I changed into a Purple shirt with a red heart on the front and denim shorts that go up to my knees. I put on my anklet, and lay down on my bed slowly. While looking up at the ceiling, I heard a knock at the door.

"Come in" I mumbled. Tabitha came in and lay down next to me and we studied the ceiling together silently.

"Do you think I can survive?" She slowly asked as if she shouldn't have asked me. It took me a long time before I finally answered.

"If you know how to survive." I whispered.

"Come on girls, Dinner is ready." Tinka informed us. Thank goodness! Skipping breakfast wasn't a very good idea. The dining table was long, filled with a feast for a king! Tabitha sat across from me and Tinka sat at one end of the long table.

"Augh!" she yelled while pulling the tips of her hair.

"What's wrong?" Tabitha asked.

"Your idiot of a mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, is drunk, and he puked in my room!" she huffed.

"What are you talking 'bout colorful crayon" Haymitch bubbled. Tabitha and I shared a look, and tried to hold in our laughs, but we just couldn't! What Haymitch said was true; Tinka does look like a colorful crayon. Her green hair is gelled up to a point, she wore all green, probably to match her ridiculous hair. Tinka looked at us harshly and we stopped laughing. The rest of dinner was silent.

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><p>"Ahhhhh!" Tabitha squealed, waking me up from my dream of Evan and me.<p>

"What?" I half-asked, half-yelled at her. She didn't get mad at me, but she did point out the window. I looked out the window to see the sparkling city that was the capitol

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><p><strong>Laurel<strong>

I bite my lip. This was my first Hunger Games reaping, and I already had five entries; one for each of my parents, another for my older brother, one for me, and one required entry. The first four were just for the tesserae, not like I thought that I would be chosen. The odds were most certainly not in my favor, however. Most District four kids do not have to apply for tesserae, unlike me.

My parents never made it far in school. They had to quit and work for the fishing industry when they were eight; to support their family. I frowned and the outfit Mom had picked out; a green spaghetti strap shirt with a matching laced skirt. I pulled it on, and nudged Billy awake.

I would have been waking up my older sister Margaret, like I did two years ago, but she's dead. She was the only one my parents allowed to get a job. She was also the eldest, at 18 years old, three years older than Billy at the time, and 8 years older than me.

"Dude, not cool." Billy grumbled.

"It's reaping day, stupid. You might as well get up." I told him. Billy gets up and pulls himself into his trousers and dress shoes. I twirl one lock of my orange hair on my finger. It would be hard getting into the careers group if I was chosen. I am nothing like Billy. I am nowhere near stocky or strong, or even big. Most of the kids in school call me 'weedy', and they're right. I am skinny, pale, and a redhead. Perfect combo, no?

I head out into the square. Billy was only sucking it up in my face. He always did. That was because this year, only girls went into the arena. Stupid President.

"Tough luck Laurel!" Billy laughed. Did I mention he hates me? He and I actually used to be really close. I remember back when he actually acted like a big brother, back before Margaret died. Since then, he has grown bitter.

I glance up at our announcer, Berthia Tendrickson. This year she's wearing a midnight blue wig and many layers of white and black makeup. She reaches into the class bowl containing the names of this year's possible tributes. There is only one bowl on the table today. The 100th Hunger Games Quarter Quell will only include girls. I close my eyes and pray that the slip of paper Berthia pulls out does not have my name written on it.

"Laurel Moonseed!" I'm sure my mouth gapes open. Out of thousands of entries, why did it have to be me? I walk stiffly onto the stage next to Berthia. I hear the groan of the crowd. District four hates it when 12 year olds get reaped, mainly because they're no fun to bet with, and usually die within the first day or two. That will probably be likley for me.

"And Becky Robinson!" Oh no, not Becky. She's District fours' most stupid, most vicious girl. Becky is blonde. She's your exact idea of a "Perfect Girl", but without the blue eyes. She has slightly tan skin and pure black eyes. Becky jumps in the air in delight. She has been waiting for this her whole life. Becky's at least half a foot taller, and way bigger than me. Berthia smiles at us joyfully. "Everyone clap for this year's District Four tributes!"

Becky and I are led into the Justice Building, where we say our goodbyes; first Mom, then Dad, then Billy, then my best friend, Gwyneth.

"Here; take this." She tells me, holding out a blue bracelet with a silver peace sign on it. I bite my lip.

"Hey, is this-?"

"It's the bracelet that Summer, you, and I found that day a couple years back. If you do die, remember us, please. Take it as your token! You have to!" Gwyneth insists. I take it, knowing that she is right.

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><p>"You're going down, fish breath." Becky whispers as we board the train.<p>

Dinner's all right, and Finnick, who is going to be our mentor, is pretty nice. He is kind of young, and I think Becky likes him a bit, their ages aren't' too far apart. He is twenty-four, and she is eighteen.

The good thing is that Finnick is helping me more, clearly because my parents could not afford the secret training program for the games. Of course, Becky has taken thousands of courses, and masters the sword. The only thing I can handle is a spear, but I guess I am pretty good at it.

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><p>The next thing I know, Berthia's knocking on my door saying to get ready for a big day! I look out the window, and the towers of the Capitol loom before me, spreading like the pop up book Margaret used to read to me when I was eight. I gulp. If I had a choice, this would be the last place I wanted to die in, though it is not like the Capitol offers many choices.<p>

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><p><strong><span>Skyler<span>**

I realized instantly what I had woken to: The Quarter Quell. It's held every twenty-five years. My skinny mattress is cold, but I'm not afraid of anything. I'm not afraid that my name might be picked. Except, my little sister, Eliza; she is twelve. This will be her first reaping. Her name put in the globe only once. What if her name is picked, out of the thousands there are? What I could do to keep her from that? She's such an angel, and she has never been afraid of anything. She was always the first person to do something, and she almost never cried. She is strong, just like me, but it is not fair. She tosses in her bed, and I watch. Her little face squished against the pillow. My little brother Terence mumbles to himself in his bed. He's only eleven, so I do not worry about him.

I sit up, and get dressed. I pull my t-shirt over my head and then I retreat to putting on my lumber cutting jacket. I have nothing special to wear to the reaping, but Eliza has a little lace-trimmed dress, made of beautiful white satin. It used to belong to our mother. I rid of the thought quickly. I pull my feet into my knee high steel-toed boots, and lace them up tightly. There's a cracked mirror in the corner, and I gingerly walk over to my dresser, grab my comb and head for the mirror. It takes some time to get the comb through the tangles in my hair, but when I'm done, it lies perfectly straight on my head. I pull a rubber band over it and wrap it around a few times to secure it. On good days I'll leave my hair down. Next, I retrieve my gloves. They cover up all the way to my elbow, and they don't have fingers; just perfect for gripping my axe. Suddenly, my little sister gets up, rubbing her eyes. I walk over to her, my boots clicking on the wooden floor. She looks up at me.

"Skyler, you look so sad. Why?" She asked me sleepily. I looked at her, and bent down on my knees.

"Today's the reaping, remember? We have to get you ready." I mumbled in a monotone voice. She nodded and I walked over to our little closet, the door creaking open. I pulled out the white satin dress with the lacey trimmed edges and set it at the foot of her bed. She has seen it so many times, but she claimed this time it was the most beautiful dress she had ever laid eyes on. I helped her put it on, and then I combed her silky brown hair until it shone like the morning sky. I helped her with her boots, and then I woke up Terence.

He didn't care. He was just trying to be smart with me. He's never really liked me. He always told me it was my fault that mom and dad died, and that maybe if I were as strong as I said I was I could have saved them. He's always hated me. I told him to get dressed, because he's never let me dress him, and then we all eat breakfast. It consists of a few edible leaves and berries, and a tiny bit of rabbit stew with what little rabbit we have left. I dictate Eliza and keep reminding her not to spill anything on that white dress of hers, because stains on white fabric are hard to get out. When breakfast was finished, we waited until noon, and then we trudged hand in hand to the middle of town.

Our mayor was standing in front of the town hall, He reads what is required of him, and then he walks over to the glass globe with all of our names in it. This year's Quarter Quell theme was for each district to send two girl tributes. We stood hand in hand, and I watched families praying that it wasn't their child who had to go. The mayor's assistant walked up on stage. Her name was Crissy Ferinton. She smiled at everyone, and gave her little speech, about how much of an honor it was to be here today, but we all knew she was just as broken inside as we were. She reached into the glass ball and pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper. I squeezed Eliza's hand and prayed silently to myself. Crissy called out the name.

"Brook Azela!" She called out loudly. I knew who that was. Brook is fifteen. I know her from the orphanage here in District seven. She walked up on stage without a single hint of any emotion. Brook shook hands with the mayor and Crissy, and then turned to the viewers, an illuminating smile on her face, but we all knew it was fake. Crissy grinned. "Such motivation! How about we all give her a big round of applause?" she hollered, clapping loudly. Only one or two participated in this, and then Crissy continued. She swirled her hand around, and we could all see how indulging she made it look. I gripped Eliza's hand tightly. _May the odds be ever in your favor, Eliza. _I closed my eyes.

All was silent. Crissy cleared her throat. "Our second tribute is...Skyler Crossten!" I almost choked. That was my name she had just called. Only fourteen years old. My name was only in there five times, once for my brother, once for my sister, and my three required entries. Eliza wouldn't let go of me. I shot a glance at her.

"Eliza, you're just making it harder! Let go of me!" I yelled at her. I saw my 'boyfriend' Joshua Steepelson coming up behind my little sister. I looked at him. He grabbed Eliza in his strong arms and withstood her violent kicking and screaming.

"Please Eliza, you know you're hurting your sister with all of your tears...please hush." he mumbled, trying to calm her down. She finally stopped her crying and Joshua set her down. His eyes locked with mine, and I instantly grabbed him by the neck and kissed him. I knew it was wrong of me to do so in front of everyone, because it might pose as my weakness, but this was the last time I would ever get to see him. I let go and looked him dead in the eyes.

"Promise me you'll take care of Terence and Eliza. They trust you. Don't you dare let them out of your sight!" my voice rose from a whisper to a shout to conceal my tears, and Joshua knew it. He nodded, placing his hand on my smooth, delicate face.

"I promise you, Skyler Crossten, that I will not let them out of my sight for one second, but you have to promise, promise me that you will come back? Promise." he said, the crowd still waiting for me to get on the stage. I felt like all eyes were on me, but I did not care.

"Josh-you know...I can never promise you-" but he cut me off.

"You have to come back, your family needs you. I need you. Please, you have to come back to Me." he pleaded. I knew the replay of this would be on every television tonight, and everyone would watch it. They did not even know what I was capable of yet, but this would judge how the people would rate me.

I took a step back, and gave Joshua a stinging slap on the face.

"I can't promise you that I'm going to survive this, so don't you dare ask me to!" I screamed, turning around. What would the viewers say to that? Joshua stumbled, looking at me confused. I walked confidently toward the steps, holding back my tears, and Eliza screamed out my name. I dismissed it, trying to grin. I walked up the steps and shook hands with the mayor and Crissy, then took my place sitting next to Brook. I looked at her wearily. Crissy hollered loudly with great enthusiasm.

"What an entrance! Only fourteen and she's already got the spunk!" she made a fist pump motion at the crowd. _Really? _I thought to myself. _Did you really just say I've got 'spunk?' That's...that's totally lame Ms. Ferinton. Get a job. _I cursed silently to myself, still grinning. I forced myself not to look in Joshua's general direction. Soon both Brook and I were taken into 'custody' and I was left in a separate room in the Justice Building. Joshua and my brother and sister came to visit me; Joshua's face was still red where I had hit him. I stood up, knowing that there weren't any cameras around, and fell crying into his arms. We both sat down on the couch for a while, and he just held me in his arms, rocking me back and forth. He hands me a wooden bracelet after a while, as I wipe the tears from my eyes. My face is blotched in wretched red spots. I look at it through the tears still beading up in my eyes. I run my fingers across it gently, feeling the beautifully stenciled handwork under my soft fingers. He closes me hand over it.

"This is your token from me. Please take it." he whispered, kissing my hair and inhaling. "You're my everything. I'll think about you every day." I let out a sad laugh.

"Please don't talk like that Josh. You're going to make me cry. I can't look like that in front of Brook and the cameras, not to mention Johanna Mason. She's going to be our mentor. I can't look weak in front of her." Eliza was sitting next to me, clutching to my gloved hand.

"Do you really have to go Skyler? We're going to die without you." she mumbled. I frowned.

"Don't say that. Joshua's a good guy. He'll take care of you until I get back. And when I do, I promise we'll all be able to afford anything. You just keep watching and I'll be home before you can count to three." I said, holding her hand. _But that means I'll have to kill Brook, or at least...she'll have to die. She doesn't deserve that. But I have to win. I have to get back to my family._ Suddenly, they were taken away from me, and it felt like part of me was being ripped in two. It was likely that I was never going see them again.

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><p>Later they take me onto the train, and I'm escorted to my room. It's across the hall from Brook's, and I guess that is okay. She seems okay. I head back to the last car, where she talks to me for a bit after we've settled in, but then we're being called to dinner by Crissy. She asks us if we want to be trained separately or together and surprisingly, we want to be together. I never knew she would give that answer.<p>

The food is extraordinary. There are delicacies that I have never seen before, and it's hard to show my manner when all I want to do is eat. Other than that, we really do not talk. I glance at Brook a few times during the meal, and once or twice Johanna asks us questions.

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><p>I end up crying myself to sleep with the train tracks clacking as my comfort noise. I don't let Joshua's bracelet out of my sight, even if it is uncomfortable to wear in my sleep. I have to turn my pillow over multiple times so that my tears don't engulf the whole thing, but somehow I manage to get to sleep. My dreams are as if I'm cutting lumber just I always have done, the sound of my axe making contact with the hard wood; the sweat beading on my forehead. It's almost as if I can touch Joshua, and I'm barely in reach, when my dreams are shattered by the loud banging across the hall. Someone's trying to wake Brook up.<p>

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><p><strong>Jewel<strong>

The morning of the reaping, I am sitting on my beat up bed next to my four-year-old puppy Missy.

"Missy do you know what today is?" I ask her. I am not crazy, but I am lonely. The night that I was born my mom ran away because she suddenly decided that she couldn't handle a little baby girl. So my dad took days off of his work. He could not take a lot of days off of work, or else he might have gotten in really big trouble. So our neighbor Ms. Kluwskies daughter, April, took care of me for fifty dollars a week. One day my dad was too tired because he was taking care of me all night, so he fell asleep on the job and got killed as a punishment. So now I live alone in my old house and April comes in everyday to check up on me.

I hear the door slam shut, and I know April has arrived at the scene to get me ready. She is so lucky she's twenty-three and out of the risk of getting reaped.

"Today is the reaping Missy." I say to the small pup, as if she didn't know.

"Hey! I'm here to help you get ready for this very special day!" April cheerfully hollers. I see her coming into my room holding a beautiful purple strapless dress with a poufy skirt and silver diamonds at the bottom. "This used to be mine, and I think you would look amazing in it!" April whispers happily. All I do is gape at the thing.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Dress up!" April smiles. I shed my sleep clothes and slip into it, along with a pair of purple flats that April has brought me. Even April doesn't have enough money to buy the expensive makeup that the capitol has, so she just applies a bit of Vaseline on my lips to make them shine. Then, she drags me out of the door and onto the street.

April takes me to our town square where she signs me up and I stand next to the other fourteen-year-old girls. I just stood there thinking about Wendall Shrue, or Wen for short and why he doesn't like me. I have white skin that shines in the sunlight, light brown hair that's not too long or too short. Then I think of why Wen really doesn't like me. I have bangs that go right on top of my eyes, and freckles! Maybe if I didn't have freckles he would like me. I stopped thinking when Marley Livington said

"Jewel Krovski!" I walked slowly to the stage my mind going blank. I sat down in the big grey chair. Then Marley called out "Emeralda Jones?" I stiffened and my face turned white as a ghost. Emeralda Jones was the school bully. You could hear her feet shuffle then loud thumps climbing up the stairs. Then she sat in the other chair. Emeralda was really tan, with black hair pulled into princess lea buns at the side of her head, she had a mole on her chin that could scare the fudge out of you, her dark blue eyes were lined with eye liner and she had dark red lipstick on, she wore all black and her shoe laces were the color green.

Emeralda gave me a scary look, like she was examining competition already. Then she grinned. I must have failed her test. We were sent to the Justice Building where loved ones and friends could say goodbye. First Wen visits me; I was really surprised when he walked in. His red hair was spiked up, and it made his head look like it was in flames.

"Jewel, can I tell you something?" he asked

"You can tell me anything" I said but then regretted it. He laughed. When he laughs, his eyes seem to turn from Light blue, to baby blue.

"Um well I have had a huge crush on you since the 3rd grade." He says in one breath. I smiled.

"Me too!" I said way too excitedly.

"Well I have not had a crush on myself since the 3rd grade; I've had a crush on you!" I say. He laughs again.

"I want you to win this for me, okay?" He asks.

"Okay." I promise. Before he leaves, he kisses me on the forehead and says,

"You're amazing, I believe in you." The next person to visit me was April, she was crying. This was the first time I had ever seen her cry, because she is usually so perky. Then I saw that she was holding Missy. I started to cry too, but Missy barked at me probably saying 'Don't cry, Jewel'. I stopped but April couldn't.

"Here, this is Missy's collar, wear it as your token." she choked out. I took the brown leather that had Missy's name carefully put onto a silver circle, hanging on the collar. I put it on my wrist and looked up at April. We hugged and said good-bye, and I pet Missy before they were taken away. Then the peacekeepers in their deathly white uniforms take my arm and march me to the train.

I entered the red train that would be my home for at least 2 hours. District 1 is super close to the capital, so our trip won't be long. Marley told me that Emeralda had a lot of people visiting her so she will be on in a few minutes. That was hard to believe considering everyone is scared of her. Marley is our mentor apparently, so when Emeralda finally got on she asked if we would like to work together or alone. We both said alone.

I walked to my room, which was across from the bully's room. I took off my dress and put on a red shirt saying 'live, love, work' with a smiley face on it, and grey Capri's. I pulled my boring straight hair into a ponytail and lay down on my bed. I held my token in front of my face to study it more. It had words engraved on the inside of the collar. It said, I will always love you. I put it on my wrist again and cried.

"Knock, knock!" Marley sings. I sat up, before I could say "Come in", she barges into the room. "Here you go sweetie, your dinner." she hands me a tray, and then put the other 3 on the desk next to the bed. After she put them down she sped out of the room, forgetting to close the door. I wanted you yell after her 'Crazy lady, you forgot to close the door!' but I didn't want her to get angry with me. I got up to close the door but Emeralda stopped me.

"Hey do you want your food?" she said harshly.

"Um, no." I said scared. So she pushes the door open walked into my room, and took the three trays on the desk.

"Thanks stick." she grinned. She took 2 trays with meat and 1 tray with candy, but she left the tray on the bed, which was filled with veggies. Ha. Maybe that's why she's so fat! I thought. Finally the train stopped. I stared out the window. Outside was the most beautiful city I have ever witnessed, with towering buildings that reflected the sunlight, as if they were made of pure crystal. The bustle of the city was more that I was ever used to, but what really caught my eye was the tallest building of all, near the center of down. The training building, where the tributes are prepared like pigs for slaughter.

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><p><strong>Brook<strong>

I wake up to the burn of the sun on my back, along with the freezing contrast of the shade on my front.

"Brook, are you up?" asked my sister, Milla.

"I am now." I grumbled.

I drag myself out of bed and throw open the curtains to let in some light. Then, I walk over to the dusty mirror on the wall, picking up my hairbrush. I braid my dirt brown hair behind my head and pull my black t-shirt on over my undershirt. I throw my lumber jacket on over that, along with a pair of short half finger-gloves. I go into the closet and pull out a small yellow dress that I sewed for Milla.

"Wow, it's so pretty, Brook!" she exclaims.

"And it's just for you." I say. I help her into the dress.

Mom and Dad are dead; Milla and I live in a small orphanage. We were placed there when a falling tree crushed Mom and Dad got hanged for attempting escape. Then Shelby, my older sister got invited to the capitol for a top wood crafting job. I haven't seen her since, and I honestly don't care, because she's left me here to care for Milla all by myself. I open the door into the hallway a crack. Will, a boy who lives a couple doors over, is sitting on one of the benches attached to the wall, reading a book.

He looks up to the sound of my door opening, and to the sound of Milla preparing breakfast in the background.

"Hey." He gives me a faint smile, and gets up. "Need any help?"

"Uh, no we're fine, thanks. And, good luck."

"Thanks."

Milla walks over as I close the door. I smile at her, "Go sit down, I'll make breakfast, we don't want your dress getting dirty." Then, I head over to the small kitchen and fry a couple of eggs that Milla and I have been saving up for. I open a cupboard and take out a small box of candies I have saved from the last time someone from District 7 won, and give one to Milla. We sit down to a silent breakfast.

I walk out of the orphanage, bumping into Will again. This time, he just nods and gives Milla and me a small smile, then heads into the crowd. I go and sign in, standing among the halved group of kids. There are no boys in the crowd today, just girls.

Crissy Ferinton, our announcer, walks up onto the stage. She fumbles in the bowl and calls out a name.

My name. "Brook Azela!"

Oh my god. I'm going to the hunger games. I walk up stiffly, showing absolutely no emotion. Then, when I shake hands with the mayor and turn to the crowd, I give my most mischievous smile at the cameras as if to day _Screw you President Snow, I'll kick your butt._

The next name called is Skyler Crossten. Skyler's a girl from my orphanage. She's a year younger than me, 14. She's got two siblings, one younger brother named Terrance and a 12-year-old sister named Eliza. There's this huge scene where she slaps her boyfriend and all that, and Crissy says that she has 'spunk'_, _and makes this weird fist pump motion. That causes her weird suit-like shirt to pull up, and she takes a couple of minutes to pull it down. This lady needs a demotion to District ten or something, she sucks at this.

I glance at Skyler and give her a nod. She manages a small smile, and we head off into the justice building.

I don't get many visitors. Just Milla, who cries and cries, and surprisingly, Will, who gives me a token. It's a short line of baby blue string.

"It's a headband," he says. "Take it as your token. I'll take care of Milla for you." I thank him, and leave the justice building.

Crissy leads us into a huge, sleek, grey train decorated with swirls of white paint surrounding a gold Capitol emblem. If I was allowed to shout something, I would have thrown thousands of colorful words at it, but that would cost my head, so I bite my lip, and let Crissy lead me onto the first step to my death.

The Train is actually all right, it is much roomier than the ones District seven uses to export lumber to the Capitol. I get a room across the hall from Skyler's. It is nice, with a bed and all, but I do not really like rooms, so I walk out to the last car and hang there. Skyler joins me after a while.

"Happy Hunger Games. Looks like the odds aren't in our favor." I grumble

"I guess so." She replies. And we just stand there in silence, watching the trees of District Seven disappear behind us. I hope that Milla will do fine without me, and that Will will take care of her. The very thought of Milla make my eyes mist up, but I do not let the tears fall. The next thing I hear is Crissy calling us in for dinner.

Skyler glances at me, and I shrug, following her into the train. The place where we're supposed to eat is two cars away, enough for me to swallow my tears and take a deep breath before going in. Johanna Mason is District seven's only female victor. And she is really crazy.

"So kids, you kids want to be trained together or separately?" She asks.

"Together." Skyler and I say at the same time.

"Alright, looks like it's unanimous." Johanna smiles.

Dinner's pretty much silent, and I excuse myself early. I practically cry myself to sleep, which is something I haven't done since my parents died. I let the tears fall now, thinking that that might have been the last time I ever saw anyone I particularly cared about.

* * *

><p>The pounding on my door the next morning makes me immediately think of the day the peacekeepers pounded on our house door that day my father was killed. I shoot up, and glance over, only to find myself in a train, not the cozy room Milla and I shared in our old house.<p>

"Wake up, wake up! It's going to be a very big day!" Crissy is shouting. I instinctively stumble over to my window, and pull open the curtains, revealing the threateningly tall Capitol buildings.

"I am so going to die" I whisper.

* * *

><p><strong>Tabitha<strong>

It's early in the morning, maybe around six o'clock, but I'm not sure. My hair is a mess, and my arm aches from laying on it all night. My hair is something you could call it dirty blond, and no matter what you do, it's almost impossible to get all of the knots out of it. It seems that I was chewing on my bangs in my sleep, because they're damp from saliva.

I am an only child, and I live in District 12 with my mother and my father. My mother once competed in the hunger games, and was our victor. But she will not be helping with the Quarter Quell this year. Instead, we're going to get Haymitch Abernathy. Boring, old Haymitch Abernathy. Oh, and did I mention he is almost always drunk? Anyway, that is what the tributes are in for this year.

I watch my mom walk around the room, getting things organized. She notices I am awake and tells me to get out of bed and put on my reaping clothes. The outfit in total consists of a gray velvet dress –which goes perfectly with my 'great' District 12- and a pair of stockings.

I also have to wear high top boots that are extremely stiff when I walk. My mother sits down beside me and combs my hair. She has a gentle touch. She never jerks at the knots or pulls at the big clumps of hair. She just works her way through them until my hair is so beautiful.

"Too bad District twelve isn't as lovely as your hair." She told me that once when I was very little. We sit down for breakfast and we try to get a few laughs our before we have to head to the town square.

When we get there, it's jam-packed, and I see my best friend, Alaina standing a few people to my right. Tinka gets on stage and smiles. This year, the Quarter Quell requires two girl tributes. I cross my fingers for both Alaina and I.

"Alaina Cedar?" I gasped. Alaina? How could her name have been drawn? But as much as I loved her, I didn't step forward to volunteer. She looked at me briefly, and walked up to Tinka. I watched and held back any sign of emotion. Tinka reached in the ball for the next time. "Ehem, a Miss Tabitha Derickson?" she asked, looking out in the crowd.

I could see Alaina's face contort to a frown. I looked at my mother and father, and then made my way slowly out of the crowd of thousands. I shook hands with the adults on the stage and sat down beside Alaina. I had to hide my face so I could cry, and I knew Alaina understood. It felt like the eyes of the crowd were burning us. It was almost like I could feel the heat of their stares on my skin. It hurt. I felt like I was going to break. I knew Alaina was trying so hard not to show any signs of emotion, but we were like sisters. I was only a year older than her. We could almost always tell what the other person was feeling.

After a few required speeches, Alaina and I were taken to the Justice Building, by the dreaded Peacekeepers in their white uniforms. My mother and father came to visit me. They gave me a bright orange headband and a woven bracelet.

"Make sure you camouflage that band when you enter the arena though," my father warned me in a hushed whisper. "But we knew you loved the color orange. It'll give you a piece of home." We exchanged hugs and kisses, and then they were taken from me.

After we left the Justice Building we headed toward our train. It was bullet black, and so, extremely shiny. We boarded it and were soon taken to our rooms. We were given five minutes to get everything settled. I took off my dress and my shoes, replacing them with a nice, orange tank top and khaki shorts. I also wear my favorite pair of canvas shoes, and make sure the laces are snug. I carefully take my headband out of my bag and put in around my head, tying it securely. I lifted by bangs in front of it, and then tied on my bracelet. I felt safe wearing these.

I was feeling kind of lonely, so I walked over to Alaina's room and knocked on the door.

"Come in." I was relieved that she was there. I walked in and lay down on the bed beside her, and we studied the ceiling together. After a little bit, I asked her a question.

"Do you... think I can... survive?" I mumbled, still looking up at the ceiling. She turned to look at me, her hands behind her head.

"If you know how to survive." she whispered back. We heard Tinka knocking at the door suddenly. She must have known I wasn't in my room.

"Girls! Dinner's ready." She called, and we got off of the bed and headed toward the dining room. I sat across from Alaina, and we smiled secretly at each other. This was such a huge feast! We could feed our families for weeks with this stuff. Suddenly, Tinka let out a scream from her end of the table. I jumped.

"What's wrong?" I asked. She pulled at the tips of her hair and moaned.

"Your idiot of a mentor, Haymitch Abernathy got drunk and puked in my room!" she huffed, arms crossed. "This was brand new carpet too!" Haymitch mumbled.

" What are...are you… T-talking 'bout... colorful… Crayon...?" he bubbled, stuttering and hiccupping all at the same time. Alaina and I exchanged glances, and couldn't hold in our laughter. We giggled, and I accidently pounded my fist on the table a couple of times. It was true.

Haymitch is almost always drunk, and Tinka did look a lot like a colorful crayon. Her green hair is almost always gelled to a point, and she almost always wore green. She really did look like a crayon. A green one too. Why couldn't she be orange? Tinka gave us both a harsh look, and we shut ourselves up. The rest of diner was pretty much quiet, other than Haymitch's random out loud thoughts here and there.

So, after dinner we went back to our rooms, I took a shower, but it took some time to figure out what all the buttons did. The water could get extremely hot in there! Afterward, I settled down in my bed.

In the morning, I got up and drowsily looked out the window. I jumped back and squealed, really loud. Unfortunately, I woke up Alaina in the process. She screamed at me from across the hall.

"Tabitha! What the fudge did you do that for!" I could hear the exasperation in her voice.

"Look out the window!" I laughed, pressing my hands against the cold glass, leaving my handprints on it. We were right in front of the Capitol.

* * *

><p><strong>Sunkist:<strong> So What do you think? is it terrible? Is it good? Is it totally awesome? Is it supermegafoxyawesomehot? Anything we could work on? I'll try to get someone else to do the (A/N)s, but it will mostly be me and **Sparkles**


	2. Chapter 2: A Cheering Crowd

**(A/N):**

**Sparkles **owns Alaina and Jewel

**Snowwy **owns Skyler and Tabitha

**Sunkist **owns Brook and Laurel

**Stars **is doing the disclaimer for this chapter...

**Sparkles: **HAI when Juana's name comes up it is pronounced Jew-ah-na... btw this is totally random but my friend Izzy (a dude) has spoffs that go SPARKLE SPARKLE! XD i feel high right now... O.o o.O

**Sunkist: **Yeah, i know, this one's a little short, but uh, yeah... I'm forcing Stars to do the disclaimer because I'm too awesome for that kind of stuff... :P as for a couple of pronunciation clear-ups... Klaulisce is Claw-liss-k, Messila is Meh-Sil-ah and Caila is Cah-eye-lah, and i excuse my friend's randomness and craziness...

**Stars: **Sparkles, Snowwy, Sunkist and Stars DO NOT own the Hunger Games... *looks at Sunkist confusedly* Thats' all... right?

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2)<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Alaina<strong>

I stepped off the train into the Capitol.

"Whoa" Tabitha gasped. We looked at each other and giggled.

"Lets' go giggle girls" Tinka murmured. I could tell she was not ready for the day. Last night we could all hear her puking, crying, whispering to herself, and watching soap operas all night. I could barely sleep either, but I managed. I had a wonderful dream, about Evan and me, together sitting on a hill, overlooking District twelve. He told me that he was happy I was with him, and he leaned in, probably going to kiss me when the lunatic lady across the hall woke me up. We walked into the remake center, ready to be, well, remade.

They sent me to one room and Tabitha to another. When I entered the room, there were 3 freaky looking human beings, waiting for me.

"Sit, sit, we don't bite!" A skinny looking woman explained. I sat down like she said, and they just stared at me. I stared right back at them, studying them, like they were the ceilings on the train. The woman who told me to "sit, sit." was very skinny, her eyes were an unusual green, her hair was flaming red, and I noticed right away that she did not have 10 fingers... she had 12! She caught me staring, and said, "I had my surgeon put 2 extra fingers on my hands, 10 fingers just can't help me do my job." The 2 other women looked exactly alike! The both had sharp, blue eyes, curly brown hair that went down to their neck and a tattoo on one hand. The twin on the right had a tattoo on her left hand saying, 'TW' and the twin on the left had a tattoo on her right hand saying 'IN'.

"My name is Juana, and my sister is Jana." the twin on the right said."

"And my name is Ferin." the skinny woman in the middle said happily. "We are going to be your prep team, O.K.?" It didn't really sound like a question, more like a fact.

"OK." I replied. For 2 hours they pulled at my leg hair, scrubbed my skin, and even more things I cannot name. I tried my hardest not to cry, or scream.

"You're doing great!" Jana squealed.

"Just one more pull, honey, and we're all done." Juana explained. The last pull really hurt! Next the prep team sent me to a white room. I was stripped of all the clothing I had, but they left my braid alone.

"Let me get a good look at you." I heard from behind me. "Turn around.," the mysterious voice commanded. I crossed my arms over my chest area, and turned around. My stylist looked right into my eyes. "Arms down." he said. I carefully moved my arms to my side, and closed my eyes. I imagined how he looked in my head while he observed me. He had brown hair that shagged over his grey eyes; clear skin, pink lip-gloss, and his voice sounded soft and nice. I felt a towel over my shoulders. "I love your hair, did you do this yourself?" He asked.

"Yes I did it myself." I stammered out.

"Hmmmmm" was all he said. "Come, come." He ordered.

"My name is Brindon," he tells me while he takes me to a room and shows me my outfit for the parade. Our outfits are supposed to reflect our districts. My dress is fire orange, with black coals all over it. It has no sleeves just a string around my neck, holding it on. The front of the dress goes down to my knees, and the back of the dress goes all the way down flowing behind me. I have bangles on both wrists, all different shades of orange. My hair has orange streaks in it, and Ferin put it up in a half ponytail. Before I get on the horse drawn carriage, Brindon puts a beautiful crown on my head. I step onto the carriage and wait for Tabitha to stand next to me. She is dressed in the same way I am.

First District 1 goes out. Both of the girls are wearing dresses made entirely out of sparkling gemstones. District 12 is last, when we do go, we make an impression. Everyone in the crowd goes "Ooo, Ahhhhh" they sounded like idiotic monkeys. I looked at Tabitha; she was smiling and waving to the crowd. I did exactly the same. We finally got to the training center. I pressed the button on the elevator with the number 12 on it. Tabitha and I go our separate ways. When I get to my room, I fall onto the bed and close my eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>Laurel<strong>

The first thing I do once Becky and I get off the train is go to my prep team. A lady named Marithan with purple hair and pink skin covered in ornate hot pink swirls. A short buttercup yellow-haired woman named Larissa with chocolate colored skin. Last, a woman named Kaulisce with rainbow colored hair and pink eyes. Yes. Pink.

They wax me off and scrub all the dirt off my face, and I'm sure my skin is raw by the time they're done. That's when my stylist, Maryse, comes in. She examines the last bit of the routine, where they throw a white strapless bra across my chest and a pair of thin underwear.

"Oh Darling, looks like they've waxed you off good, come on, sweetie." she has this real heavy capitol accent, and I can tell she has been at it for a long time.

Maryse leads me in a room next to the one I was prepared in. She fumbles through racks and racks of dresses that she's designed; searching for the one she had planned for me to wear.

"Now, we need you to stand out this year, if you want to make a good impression. Remember, this is just an impression, it won't guarantee you any sponsors."

Maryse puts me in a wavy sundress that went down to my knees. It fades from a light, baby blue at the top, to a hazy sunset orange, and covered in sparkling pearls.

"Wow, it's great." I say.

Maryse smiles. "Thank you, sweetie, I have always been one for big impressions."

Then she applies a light blue eye shadow and orange blush. I get a sunset pink lip-gloss. She curls my straight orange hair and puts a string of pearls around my neck.

"Your dress goes perfectly with your hair sweetie." she compliments and sends me off to the stables with a pair of low orange heels.

"Remember to stand straight, smile and wave like an ocean, even through the president's speech!" Maryse calls out to me. Becky is in a similar outfit, but it's splashing with turquoise and white laced. We're both smiling and waving, but we don't acknowledge each other's existence.

I think District one is the star of the night this year, as usual. Their bubbly bejeweled gowns are perfectly mesmerizing, and their sparkling headbands are perfect and elegant. I see the District seven kids, as usual, trees, though somewhat improved, and much better than last year. We stop at our stops and the crowds are screaming, shouting names of mostly careers.

And then the boring part launches. President Snow starts this long, long speech about the history of Panem, the dark days, and etcetera, in which I am expected to 'stand straight!' and 'smile, sweetie!' Very likely, Maryse, Very likely.

Finally, when he's done, my back's hurting like hell, along with my cheeks. Becky and I stumble into the elevator, heading up to the fourth floor. When I get into my room, I immediately undress myself, leaving the beautiful orange and blue dress in a heap on the floor. I throw on a white t-shirt, a pair of tight black pants, and a pair of comfy brown boots.

Once we reach our floor, we're bombarded with compliments form Ulatra, Becky's stylist, along with Maryse, Berthia, and Finnick.

* * *

><p>The roof is a nice place, Maryse told me about it. You have to take the elevator up to 12, and then climb up some stairs, but it's totally worth it. The small capitol lights twinkle like stars, and even from here, you can see the stars, glittering like diamonds.<p>

I stroll around the rooftop gardens, almost falling off the roof with looking up at the sky. It's pitch black. I know about the force fields, so I guess it's all right if I fall off. The roof is a nice place to forget the worries of the games, but also a great place to think about everything I left at home, and . I hear someone come, up, so I quickly leave and take the elevator back down to the dark little place I'll be staying in for the next week or so, feeling more alone than ever.

* * *

><p><strong>Skyler<strong>

I wake up to pounding from across the hall. Crissy's trying to wake Brook up. I get out of bed and put on my clothes. I know I'll have to take them off soon though. I slip into my pants, my steel toed boots; I fasten the clips on my elbow long gloves, and pull my jacket on for the finishing touch, then head to the dining car for breakfast. Johanna and Brook follow soon afterward, and I'm already at the table with my meal.

I say a silent prayer and start eating before the others even sit down. I don't care what they say about it, but I am hungry. We talk about what will happen today, and I can't help thinking about Joshua. The longer I'm away from him, the more I miss him. My heart shatters silently inside, and shards go flying. I cough suddenly, pounding on the table. _I must have swallowed something the wrong way._ I frantically say to myself, and grab my glass, gulping down every last drop until the coughing stops. The two are looking at me like I'm a wreck. I look back.

"What?" I say, slightly annoyed. They shake their heads and continue with their meal. I feel a bit ashamed. I'm having trouble controlling my feelings, and that'll get me killed in the games.

We make out way toward the Remake center, and there Brook and I part for a while. I'm sent to my own room, where I meet two women, who look almost the same. They have long, black hair which they have tied in buns behind their heads, and they both have very dark skin. They keep calling me sugar, and it's getting annoying. They say their names are Isabella and Sicily. Isabella has purple eyes and Sicily has a vibrant orange. _Certainly those are contacts. I can't imagine purple and neon orange being natural colors. _I say silently to myself. They look at me, lift my shin up, turn me around in my chair until they are satisfied, and order me to remove all garments.

I feel violated. Extremely. But rules are rules, so I take off my clothes and they dunk me in a water basin. They immediately start scrubbing me down, from the ball of my heel to the ends of my fingers, until my skin feels raw and it looks all pink. It's really sore too. The worst is yet to come. After they wash me up, they start waxing my legs and arms. Isabella shakes her finger at me.

"Tsk, tsk, this could take a while." she informs Sicily with a great shame in her voice. I grumble. I want to tell them, "Why don't you get the stupid thing over with and let me see my stylist?" but I know better. I just sit there with a smile on my face and wait for them to come to a verdict. She presses the piece of fabric to my leg, pats it down nice and neat, and then rips in off. I refrain from screaming. My leg is instantly turning red, and it's throbbing too. This is repeated all over my body until I look like a bright red tomato, and by then tears have started forming in my eyes.

They rub me down with an ointment to stop the swelling, and they say it'll go away in a few minutes. I sit there for a little bit, poking my sore arms and legs. They burn everywhere. And the worst part is I'm still naked as a skinned chicken. I feel more exposed now that I know all of my body hair is gone. They leave me and tell me that my stylist will be here shortly. I quickly cross my legs and pull my arms up to cover my breasts. I feel so ashamed. My mom would never make me do this.

Soon my stylist comes in. His name is Hayden. Not like it's a bad thing, but he's gay, so I don't have to worry that he's going to hurt me. He tells me to stand up, and I have to uncross my legs to stay balanced. I close my eyes, my face turning red. He grabs my wrists and pulls my arms to my sides very gently. I want so badly to move. He walks around me once or twice, and examines my tan skin, the complexity of my face, how it shines when the light hits it. He nods pleasingly and tells me I can sit back down. He pulls out my outfit for the parade. I frown.

"It's a...tree..." I mumble, trying to make it look like I'm happy. Hayden nods enthusiastically.

"Isn't it wonderful though?" he asks with a big grin. "It's not exactly a tree. Since all of our tributes this year are girls, I thought maybe you would like it better as a dress!" His voice gives me the creeps, but it's somehow soothing. The dress is actually prettier than I thought. It's got a cute little headdress that looks like the tippy top leaves on the tree, and it's all shimmery. I wonder of Brook's looks like mine. It's made of a velvety green fabric, and the sleeves are really long. Luckily, they're been cut all the way up to my elbow, so when I lift my forearm, it dangles so beautifully.

Hayden helps me slip it on and then I walk over to the mirror. It's so pretty. Hayden comes up behind me with a beautiful pair of wooden slippers. I sit down, and he gingerly slips them over my feet. They're a bit big, but I can handle it. He puts a few bracelets on me, and ties a green piece of fabric around my neck. It's strung with little shiny leaf charms, but I don't know what kind of stone it's made out of. He sits me back down in my chair and we start working on my face. He teases at my hair, and sprays all sorts of things in it. The spray makes my red streaks show up so much brighter.

"You're beautiful hair shouldn't be taken for granted." he smiled, taking a curling iron in his hand. I was actually afraid. I'd never had my hair curled before. He places the thing in a clump of my hair and started curling. When he released it, I could see some of my hair bouncing around in front of me. I closed my eyes and waited until he was finished. When he was done curling, he sprayed some golden glittery stuff in it. It smelled like vanilla, which I had only ever smelled once before, but I recognized it instantly.

Hayden next told me to close my eyes, and he started padding all over my face with a cushion covered in fine, glittery powder. I tried not to cough. I knew I wasn't going to look anything like myself when he was done. He covered my eyelashes in thick black mascara, and dusted a heavy load of green eyes shadow on my eyelids. He also puffed on a bit of pale pink blush, to accent my skin. The last preparation was my lipstick. _It's going to be green. I just know it is. Ech. _But it wasn't. It was a beautiful shade of red.

I was so glad it wasn't green. But there was a high chance it could have been. He gave me an even coat and showed me how to spread it out without touching it. Then he added a small touch of lip liner. I was all done. Everything was ready. I stepped in front of the mirror and almost fell back. I looked like a whole other person. I looked, beautiful. I looked at Hayden and gave him a big hug.

"Thank-you so much Hayden! You're the best stylist ever!" I laughed, twirling around in my dress. It puffed out, long, wavy and elegant. What would District one say to us now? He smiled, and gave me a pat on the back, leading me out to our float. I got on, and surprisingly there was Brook. She looked so different and beautiful too.

"You look really nice." I whispered, clasping my hands together as we rolled slowly out behind six other districts. District one had two different outfits this year. And the person wearing the emeralds looked like a fat turkey. It looked kind of scary. But the girl next to her, the one in the diamonds, looked so beautiful. I saw her wave at everyone as she went past. I actually think she saw me too, because I could have sworn she smiled at me.

As we rounded the corner, both Brook and I started to wave. Some people were actually impressed we weren't wearing leaves and a pig puffy tree costume. When the spotlights hit us, our golden faces shimmered so brightly. I couldn't see it actually, but that's what most everyone I had heard from said. I was so in the moment that I grabbed Brook with my hands, and we twirled around and around, letting our dresses flow freely. It felt great.

* * *

><p>After the parade, we were taken to the Training Center and brought to our rooms for the night. Tomorrow would be out first day of training with Johanna. I took off my outfit, and took a nice shower. You will not believe how colorful the water was when I was finished getting rid of all my glitter and makeup. My hair stayed curly though, and I dried it off quickly. I put on my sleeping garments and went to bed, wondering what we would do tomorrow, Brook and I.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Jewel<strong>

"Come on out guys!" Marley calls. I am so excited! I wanted to look around a bit, but I guess tributes are not supposed to look around the capitol when you get there.

Marley takes Emeralda and me to the Remake center, where we will meet our stylist and our prep team. Good thing we each get separate prep teams, I do not want to see her anymore. My prep team is made up of 3 gay guys. Bram, Felix, and Luca. Bram has black hair in a buzz cut his eyes are hazel and he had freckles just like me! Felix is blonde with a hair spiked up just like Wen, his eyes are purple. And Luca has dirty blonde hair with blue eyes and a belt with pockets to put different flavored lip balm.

They send me straight to my stylist after they scrub me down. They say I take great care of myself, because that's all they had to do. I have no clothes on when my stylist comes into the room. My stylist is a young woman, maybe in her late twenties'. I don't cover my arms over my chest because she is a woman too, though I do blush a bit.

She says her name is Esta, which means star in an ancient forgotten language. I think her name fits her looks. Her hair is a shiny white-blond and her eyes are dark blue. She wore a black shirt with tiny yellow dots and blue jeans. Her hair was up in a ponytail, and she had no shoes on. She handed me a pink robe.

"Come with me" she said as she held out her hand. I held onto her hand while we zigzag through long hallways. We finally came to a stop outside a big white door. Esta knocked on the door, and we waited for a few minutes. "No one's here" she said. We entered the room. It was huge with couches and mirrors. We sat down at a table, and she asked me about myself. "What kind of style do you prefer?" was the last question she asked. I sat there silently for a while, with my head down.

When I finally looked up to answer her question she was gone. I cannot believe my own stylist left me! I was going to get up and look for her, when the door opened. "Here is the dress you are going to be wearing." she said. I smiled, the dress was made of shiny diamonds! When I put it on, it felt a bit heavy, but I handled it. Esta taught me how to walk in glass heels without falling. She put my boring brown hair into a bun and then placed a blue headband with pearls on it atop my head. I felt like one of those princesses in a fairy tale.

I stepped onto the white carriage, and smiled. Emeralda got on too. She was wearing a dress made out of Emeralds. I guess it fits her, but honestly, she still looked like a big, fat turkey.

District 1 goes out first. While the horses pulled us, I smiled and waved. The crown cheered for us, as they usually did for District 1. Well the crowd cheered for me. I don't think they like the fat turkey in a green dress next to me.

When we got to City Circle, we watched the other districts come out. District 4 had better shoes on than last year. The tributes last year had tall see through shoes, holding water and a fish in each pair. District 7 wore the usual tree outfit, though this time, it's improved, and district 12 looked amazing with their beautiful dresses, crowns and smiles! I wish I was that beautiful.

President Snow stared blankly into the crowd with a totally fake smile, and he started the long, annual speech. If I were home, I would have been running upstairs with a book or something, and then playing with Missy, but now, I have to sit through the long, boring speech. The very thought makes me so homesick, I could just cry in front of everyone.

Containing my homesickness actually help me get through the speech. I didn't hear a thing after "And the dark had begun, lead by a treacherous District thirteen." Our carriages go back to the training center building, and Emeralda and I head back up the elevator into the first floor. Immediately skipping to my room and falling fast asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Brook<strong>

I'm rushed off the train past all the reporters at the Capitol station. Skyler and I are stuffed into a bulletproof car and driven to the training center. It's one of the tallest buildings, probably the tallest. I would honestly love to see the Capitol in the night though. I have always loved lights, they shine a bit of hope.

Skyler and I are separated into different rooms and prepped for the opening ceremony. My prep team is the strangest. Messila is rather short and has a sort of piggish nose. Caila looks like a walking brown stick with scary, white eyes. Bandar, the obvious leader, has purple hair and spray painted gold spots on his skin. They wax and scrub me and paint my nails shades of green. Then they spray my skin with this glittery stuff, along with amplifying the curls in my hair, and doing a bit of light base makeup.

Caila brushes out my hair, and Messila applies a light makeup. I know what I'm going to be dressed up as. I know Skyler's going to be the same. Bandar gives me a thin silk bathrobe to put over my naked body, and my stylist skips in. literally, she skips in on these weird platform heels. _Seriously, lady, get a life, I'm about to die, and you're skipping?_

"I'm Jadis. I'll be your stylist, and guess what you're going to be this year?"

"A tree." I groan. Jadis smiles.

"They guess right every year! Of course, Hayden and I have a surprise! We have finally improved our tree costume!" She pulls out a knee high dress covered in ivy leaves. The fabric is a soft, dark green velvet. Jadis helps me into the dress, then hands me a pair of mahogany flats, and starts adding a few touches of jewelry. She puts a green choker around my neck with little wildflower charms on it.

Then, Jadis weaves a crown of leaves and branches into my hair, and pushes me in front of a mirror. It's way better than I had expected. Of course, I had expected to be thrown into a thick, bulky tree costume, so saying it was 'better' is a bit of an overstatement.

Jadis smiles at me, and drags me into the stables. Skyler and I go after six, but District 1 and 4 have stolen the night already. The screams of delight and chanting of the Tribute's names. Finally, we head out, rounding the bend, listening to the delightful cheers of the Capitol residents, probably glad we're not stupid trees again this year.

Skyler and I get so happy, we even twirl around a bit, showing the exact thing that the President does not want: Friendship. The thought keeps me going a little longer.

We listen to President Snow's long lecture about Panem, blah, blah, blah, and we make our last round, heading into the training center.

* * *

><p>Skyler and I congratulate each other on our performance, and so do Crissy, Johanna, Hayden, and Jadis. I, of course, ignore all of it and walk straight into my room and slam the door, throwing the dress to the ground and changing into a thin, silk nightgown that's provided.<p>

I lay on my bed for a good hour or so before deciding that I'm better off on the roof. It's only a short elevator ride from my floor, so I head up. I walk toward one edge, when I swear I hear someone rushing down the stairs behind me. I turn my head, and I see a bright flash of orange.

Frowning, I turn back, hoping that I'm not seeing things. That would be horrible, to die mentally confused. Sighing, I sit on one of the benches and stare at the lights. They say a scientist from long, long ago in the old country invented them.

Not that I even know what a scientist is. Probably a career that President snow's banned because it involved knowing things. Sighing, I walk over to the small flowers they have planted on the roof, and I spend the night uprooting weeds in the bed to get my mind off things.

* * *

><p><strong>Tabitha<strong>

We step off the train and gasp. Alaina and I start giggling. Tinka murmurs under her breath,

"Let's go giggle girls." We can tell she wasn't prepared for today. Alaina told me all about what happened last night. The crying, to soap operas, all of that. I wonder, maybe she didn't like us? Maybe she didn't like Haymitch. Who wouldn't? Alaina told me how upset she was that I woke her up from a good dream. I asked what it was, but she wouldn't tell me. We walked toward the Remake Center and stepped inside. I knew exactly what was going to happen. _Don't tell me District 12 gets to be naked again this year. _I grumbled silently. I was pretty sure Alaina was thinking the same.

We were put in separate rooms, and my prep team was waiting for me. They consisted of a stout little woman named Abigail; and a tall, lean man named Brittany. The odd thing was, he wasn't gay. I guess it was okay though. They made me take off all of my clothes, and scrubbed me down with some foul smelling soppy stuff, and scrubbed some shampoo and conditioner in my hair. It was the only thing that smelled good; like lavender and a fresh spring breeze. Luckily for me, even though it nicked my skin, my family had some razors that mother 'borrowed' from the Capitol when she came here, and I had shaved the morning of the reaping so I wouldn't have to worry about it. My prep team did, however scorn me not to use such primitive tools. I sighed, as they left and waited for my stylist.

When she came in, she was the most beautiful woman I had seen at the Capitol yet. She was tan skinned, and her hair was a creamy mocha brown. Her eyes were the color of a baby blue sky, and she had rosy cheeks and a kind smile. She looked at me fondly. She said her name was Annie. Annie Trisket. She looked at my arms, lifted my chin, looked in my eyes, and then pulled out what I would be wearing to the parade. She said it was exactly like Alaina's. Fire orange with coals all over it, noting but a string around my neck holding it in place. Colorful bangles all over my wrist, they kind of felt funny. The front of my dress only reaches my knees, but the rest of it in the back trails along the floor.

My long blonde hair was dyed a darker color so that the orange streaks would show up better. I looked so weird with dirty blonde hair. But the streaks were a vibrant, neon orange. Annie puts it in a half ponytail, and lets me wear my bangs out. I ask her if I can wear my bright orange headband, because it would match perfectly. She takes a look at it, and lets me put it on. I smile when I look in the mirror. The headband doesn't look the same with dirty blond hair, but it still looks good. I put on my shoes and we head out to the float.

Alaina is already waiting for me. She looks gorgeous. I step onto the float with her, making sure not to catch my dress on anything. Everyone gets a taste of the wealthier districts, but to ensure their attention, Alaina and I both put on a huge show!

We hear the crowd "ooh" and "Ahh" at how our dresses sparkle in the light. I'm having a grand time; waving at the crowd and smiling. My mom and dad would be so proud of me. Alaina started waving too. She looked so happy. I wonder if that was just fake, but she really did look like she was having a good time, and I guess I was too.

President Snow finishes up his speech, and we head back to the Training center. Alaina and I went straight to our separate rooms. I took off my clothes and neatly folded them away. I got into my sleeping clothes and drifted off. Tomorrow would be out first and only day of training. Apparently this year things have to move fast, so we train early in the morning for a while, and then we show our skills in front of the judges. After that we get interviewed. And then we get a short sleep. As soon as we wake up, we leave the capitol and enter the Arena. I can't believe it's so close. I shut my eyes tightly and hope tonight never goes away.

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><p>Sunkist: Nothing left to say, just review! plleeaseee =3 Reviews are as awesome as redvines!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3: Heading to Death

**(A/N):**

**Sparkles** owns Alaina and Jewel

**Snowwy** owns Skyler and Tabitha

**Sunkist** owns Laurel and Brook

**Stars** will come in later in the next book

**Sunkist:** Ok, I'm really really sorry this one took so long, I was caught up with an overload of Algebra homework and glee promos, along with the hunger games trailers... but, uh yeah! And just to clear a few things up, Sparkles, Snowwy, and i write each of the parts for our own characters... so, uh, yeah! :)

**Disclaimer:** We don't own the Hunger Games, the awesome Suzanne Collins does. :D

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3)<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Alaina<strong>

_ Bang, bang, bang! _

"Augh!" I grunt under my pillow. The doors to my room open, and I hear Tabitha yelling from the outside.

"Get up sleepy head." Tabitha yelled. I do not want to get up, but Tabitha pulls me out of bed.

"Thanks Tabby!" I say sarcastically, while laying face down on the floor.

"Today is training day, get up." Tabitha says, while nudging me with her toe. Finally I get up, and push her kindly outside. I lock the doors, and change. I put on my blue and purple rimmed glasses, a dark green shirt with the picture of a rock saying 'You rule' to a piece of paper, and the paper saying, 'You rock,' A pair of khaki pants, and a pair of sneakers. I put my colorful token on, unlock the door, and walk to the elevator with Tabitha.

The elevator brings us down to the basement, and we exit into the training center, which actually looks like a huge gym, just with weapons, and stations. We are the first to arrive. After a minute or two, the other girls from districts 1,2,4,7,9,and 11 came in. The mentors come in too. Haymitch and the other mentors pin square cloths with our districts number on it, and our names. We all sit in a circle on the floor. Atalia, the head trainer, comes up and tells us directions. I wasn't really listing; I was observing the other girls. I just looked at their cloths. "_Jewel, Emeralda, Catarina, Kathryn, Laurel, Becky, Brook, Skyler, Victoria, Flow, Samantha, June." _I'm very good at remembering, though I don't see all of the names.

"Wanna go to the rope tying station?" Tabitha asked. I realized everyone got up to go to different stations.

"Um yeah, sure." I replied dreamily. The trainers face lit up when he saw us walking toward him. I told him what I knew about knots and traps, and he seemed pleased. Tabitha was quiet the whole time, as if she felt like this was too hard for her. After 30 minutes of knot tying we moved on to other stations. We tried spear throwing, knife throwing, starting fires, making shelter, using arrows and bows, and more. Right before lunch we went to the edible plants station.

* * *

><p>Tabitha and I sit down at an empty table for lunch. We ate silently, studying other girls. The girls from District seven and one girl from district four come up to us. Brook, Skyler, and Laurel.<p>

"Hey," Brook says. "Mind if we sit here?" Tabitha looks at me as if I have to decide.

"No we don't mind." I replied without looking them in the eye.

"I loved your dresses last night." Tabitha says trying to start a conversation.

"Thanks! We were modified trees." Skyler explains. "And we loved your dresses too!" Brook and Skyler said simultaneously. We say thanks and talk about life in each other's district, crushes, annoying or sweet siblings, and people we can't stand, the hobos that we know in our districts. Somehow in the middle of our conversation a girl from District 11 joined in.

When we were talking about how fat president snow looks now, Jewel walked up to us.

"Is there any space left?" she asked.

"Hey you're that District one girl, Jewel, right?" Brook asked while chewing her burger.

"We loved your dress!" we all said at the same time. Everyone in the cafe stared at us like we were weird.

"Ummm thanks?" Jewel said looking as if she did not know if we were complimenting her, or insulting her. She sat down next to June, the girl from District 11. For the rest of lunch we talked about the careers, and how nice some of them, like Jewel, can be.

* * *

><p>We are supposed to perform in front of the Gamemakers after lunch. District 12 is last, so that means they will be tired of watching 24 girls, they probably won't pay attention to me. I go in before Tabitha, she wishes me luck and I go through the doors.<p>

The Gamemakers are sitting at a long table with finished food in piles. I grab a dummy, draw a funny face on it, and then I grab a set of arrows and the bow. I sling the pack of arrows over my shoulder. Next I throw the dummy at the idiotic people in front of me. Before it can hit them, I stick it to the back wall with 4 arrows. They look relieved that they didn't get hurt and start jotting stuff down. One guy looks up to say you are dismissed, but before he can I am already headed out the door.

Later Haymitch, Tinka, Tabitha, and I stand in front of the TV. Our friends pull good scores. Jewel pulls a 7, Laurel pulls a 10, and Brook and Skyler pull 8's. Both Tabitha and I pull 11's, the highest score out of them all. We all jump and laugh in joy, even Haymitch!

* * *

><p>The next day Tabitha and I were able to sleep till 12:00. Tonight we have interviews with Caesar Flickerman. My prep team fixes me up the same painful way they did before, and then Brindon comes in to show me my dress.<p>

"Isn't it lovely?" He asks. The dress went down to my knees, it was black with 4 layers, and an orange flame cloth that slipped into belt loops in the middle of the dress. He gave me an orange leather glove with the finger parts cut off, and dangly earrings that reached my chin. He told me to put on my grey converse boots that went a little higher than my ankle, and an orange headband. He put my hair into a side braid. He sticks a red hair extension in my hair and weaves my hair into a pattern that begins at my left ear, goes into a bun, and then into one braid down my right shoulder. When I look at myself in the mirror I see a prettier version of myself.

Caesar Flickerman looks like a gothic schoolteacher, and he creeps me out! Tabitha doesn't mind. Caesar is her role model. She has posters of him all over her bedroom wall, each one from a different hunger game, which means different hair colors. Last night Haymitch told me to go for funny. I guess I can pull off funny. District 12 is last, as usual, so I get to see everyone be mysterious, girly, sly and elusive, quiet, truthful, sullen and hostile. Finally it was my turn. I made my way to the center of the stage, and shook his hand.

"Wow, just wow!" Caesar said. "Doesn't she look great folks?" The audience clapped and hollered. Then the questions started.

"What do you like most in the capitol?"

"The Raman noodles," I answered. The audience giggled.

"Yeah I love 'em too," he said while rubbing his stomach.

"Your true love?"

"Chicken pot pie" More laughter.

"Ha-ha funny, but let's be real now." Caesar says.

"Well there is this one person..." I start to say but stop.

"Go on, go on" He urges

"Evan Devion."

The crowd sighs, and cries. Caesar cries too, which is odd. He changes the subject

"So Alaina, do you like the whole outfit thing?"

" It's a bit out of my style, Brindon needs to start creating new outfits!"

"Oh? Did you hear that Brindon?" laughter again.

"I'm joking, I love it!"

"I'm sure we all do!"

Then we did a whole thing on naming hobos that we knew, saying which of the girls looked more like a hobo, and we ended it by explaining to the people of Panem what hot dogs are made of.

* * *

><p>The next morning, my prep team was at the foot of my bed crying.<p>

"Shhh, you're going to wake her," Ferin whispered. I sat up and looked at them, each of them seemed to have been crying but they stopped when they saw me rise. "Follow us" Juana choked out. The whole morning was nicer than normal. They didn't scrub me too hard, or pull at my legs too hard. Ferin put my black hair into a braid going down my back; she streaked one strand of hair red from the start of the braid to the bottom.

Brindon couldn't see me at the moment because of emotional issues, so he laid the outfit on the bed. The outfits this year was an orange short sleeved tee, a black hooded jacket, tan pants with pockets on each side, black hunting boots with no laces put in, and a black belt with pockets to put tiny things. I rolled the sleeves on the jacket up to my elbows; put rainbow colored laces into the boots, and put my anklet on as a bracelet.

When we get on the hovercraft, a lady injects a tracking device into my forearm. I don't know why, but I cry when I get shots. When we get to my launch room, we wait for the call for a few minutes. Then I stand on the metal plate, and a glass cylinder is lowering around me. Brindon waves goodbye as I get raised into the arena.

* * *

><p><strong>Laurel<strong>

I wake up around 7:00 and toss the sheets over and climb out of bed. Maryse has laid out a pair of brown pants and a green t-shirt along with a pair of soft brown boots. I stretch and wash my face. Today is training day. Berthia's already at the table, and so is Finnick. Looks like Becky slept in. We eat in silence, Finnick asking me a question every now and then.

Becky turns up just as I finish my pancakes.

"So, I really don't want to train together, and I want private sessions. She can take public." Becky announces. I start to protest, but Finnick cuts me off.

"Alright. Becky, follow Berthia. Laurel, the training room is-"

"On the bottom floor, I know." I grumble. I get up out of my seat and leave just as Becky is arguing and saying she hasn't had her breakfast yet.

* * *

><p>The training room is all right; stations of weapons and survival skills are scattered across it. I walk over to the edible plants station, and I pass the test in a whiz, I guess it pays to have a good memory. The Bow and arrows station wasn't difficult, but I avoid the spear-throwing station. I stick to survival skills, venturing to a weapons station every now and then.<p>

By the end of the day, I've mastered the knot-tying station, the edible plants, the fire making, and most of the survival skills, and I end up with decent bow and arrow skills, but I still can't pick up a sword. I am so lucky Becky isn't here; she would be laughing in my face about it.

* * *

><p>I eat lunch in a large café-like area, surrounded by large, round brown tables and high, stool chairs. I grab a large, various assortment of foods, from the famous lamb stew to the delicious Ramen noodles.<p>

I follow the two people in front of me on the line: Brook Azela and Skyler Crossten. Skyler had a really epic reaping, and I knew Brook was pretty good at hiding emotions.

They walk up to the District 12 kids, and Brook asks if we can sit there. Alaina Cedar, the first tribute from District 12, is a bit sealed off from strangers, though I was pretty sure there was a crack or two in that wall she had built around her.

Lunch ends quickly with Tabitha trying to strike up conversation, and Skyler and Brook saying things during awkward silences. Jewel and June, from District one and District 11, both join us. We all compliment each other's stylists, and we talk about home.

* * *

><p>Soon enough, we're called into the room where we wait in silence to perform our 'talents' in front of the Gamemakers.<p>

I go after this weird wiry girl from District 3. Scanning the room, I come up with a quick plan to hopefully impress the judges. Jogging over to the knot-tying station, I tie the most complicated net trap I know in a matter of seconds, and throw a dummy in it. Then I walk over to the spears station and grab a spear. Walking over to the other side of the room, I back up to the wall and hurl my spear towards the dummy's face. As usual, the spear punctures the head, and pins the dummy to the ground.

The Gamemakers nod in approval, and say, "You are dismissed." I walk out the opposite door, and head up to my room to sleep, completely ignoring any dinner or food.

* * *

><p><em>The world is black. I can't see, hear, or feel anything. It's as if I'm dead. I gulp.<em>

"_Hello?" I call out into the blackness. There is no response. "HELLO?" I yell out even louder. Still, there's no response. I walk around, hoping that I'll find something, but I get to see the end of the horrible nightmare I'm trapped in. Maybe I will soon._

* * *

><p>I wake up to Finnick pounding on my door. I crawl out of bed "I'm up, I'm up." I grumble.<p>

It doesn't take long to get down and see the results. I hit a nice 10 while Becky lands a positively horrifying 8. Becky gapes at the screen, and I could swear those weird black eyes of hers pop out of her head. For a girl like her, that won't get her many sponsors. Becky storms up to her room, and I go back to my room, just to sleep before the interview with Caesar Flickerman.

However, I am deprived of this, because there is absolutely no way I am supposed to be expected to sleep after that horrifying dream. Instead, I sit up and stare at the ceiling all night.

By 7:00, I'm still awake, and Berthia's already pounding on my door for me to wake up. I'm dragged into the dining room for a quick breakfast, where I gulp down at least ten cups of coffee, and Berthia drags me into an empty room, where she gives me a pair of stilettos and a very long and plain white dress. Finnick attempts to think of a personality for me. I'm not sexy, or mysterious, or tough, or funny, but finally we settle on likable. I guess that fits me.

Before I'm even ready to take anything in, my prep team appears and drags me into a separate room, and scrub all the sweat and dirt off me. They apply a light pink blush on my cheeks, along with dark pink eyeliner and pale lipstick. They paint my nails a variety of pastel colors. They braid my hair into three loose braids, and then they curl them into a bun on the high back of my head. They throw a thin white robe over me and lead me to the room where Maryse has my dress laid out.

Maryse comes in with a beautiful blue dress that ripples in green and turquoise running down the skirt, each layer scattered with different seashells. Ribbon-like strap that wraps around my neck, connected to my dress with a knot. The sleeves are thin strings tied together in complicated knots with bluish lace filling the holes. I slip into it, and Maryse helps me into a pair of blue and white sandal heels.

Caesar Flickerman's color this year is black. It makes him look like a vampire from one of those books mom used to read me. The girl from District one, Jewel, acts quite confident, though there's a very obvious flicker of fear in her eyes that the Capitol seem oblivious to. District two acts all tough, while the girls from District three try to act mysterious. Becky goes, aiming for the sexy that Finnick suggested, with her flowing white pearl-studded gown that perfectly highlights her figure. After a flirtatious talk with Caesar, it's my turn.

"Miss Laurel, only 12, am I right?" Caesar asks with a warm smile.

"12 and proud of it." I smile back, hoping that no one will see the sweat beading on my hands, or the nervousness in my stomach that makes me want to just throw up. _The entire nation is watching this. _I tell myself. _Screw it up and you die… It'll happen eventually anyways._

"Well of course! What's impressed you most about the capitol?" Caesar askes. He is trying to help me, of course, but I can't think of anything. I've been thinking about the horror of the Games and asking myself why I have to spend the last of my very limited few weeks of life near a weird psychopath.

"The smell!" I fumble out. The audience laughs. They are probably not used to people complimenting the 'smell' of the Capitol. "It always seems to smell like salt back in District four. It's like, like roses here."

"Well our dear president does seem like that he has a thing for roses, no? Wonderful, aren't they, roses? Are you nervous about the games?"

"What to be nervous about? Everyone here knows that I'll be the one coming out alive."

"Of course. Anybody at home you want to win for?"

"My Mother, My Father, My best friend, Gwyneth, and the chance to smell roses again." I say. More laughter.

The four-minute timer beeps. "Time's up my friends! And may the odds be in your favor, Laurel Moonseed!" says Caesar. I make my way off the stage; sweat practically pouring buckets on my hands. I wipe it off quickly on my dress, and sit back. Brook and Skyler have a nice touch to their interview, a bit of confidence and toughness, but also showing they have something left to live for, along with a bit of heart.

Alaina and Tabitha also have very decent interviews, all going for the 'fun' and 'likeable' personality. When they are done, the crowd claps, and the tributes file into their cars, brining them back to the training center. I can see Becky's smug smile. Her interview was fantastic, she knew that, and I knew that too. I frowned, and just watched the lights stream by as our car finally pulls up to the training center. I run to the elevator, kick off my heels, and run to my room as soon as the doors slide open, slamming the door behind me, dreaming of the empty blackness and hopelessness. Similar to the situation I am in now.

* * *

><p>Berthia bangs on my door, over, and over and over.<p>

"SHUT UP!" I yell. She jumps.

"I've been pounding on your door for five minutes now! Come on, it's the day of the games!" Berthia gives me a reassuring smile.

I'm dressed in seconds. A blue-green t-shirt with a black jacket, khaki pants, and lace less boots. I find a pair of sky blue laces that I weave through the empty holes along the sides of the boots.

I'm lead to the launch room, where this person injects some tracking device into my arm. Then Maryse is pulling my hair into a loose ponytail.

"You'll do great at the games, I'm sure of it," she mumbles.

"The odds most certainly are not in my favor," I grumble. Maryse hands me a District four roll. I chew on it, taking in the last bit of home I will ever get, that is, if I die.

"Don't think like that, sweetie. You'll come out alive. I know you will." she says this with so much confidence I almost believe it. Almost.

I step into the glass tube and take a deep breath. I wait. Maryse is smiling at me and nodding. The last thing I see is Maryse giving me a thumbs-up.

* * *

><p><strong>Skyler<strong>

I groan. It's early morning, and I got very little rest. I don't know where Brook is right now, but I slip out of bed and start to get dressed. I wear some dark, skinny jeans today, and I tuck them into my boots. I make sure to lace them up really tight too.

Since I'm really tired this morning, and I'm getting tired of my hair being curled, I straighten it, and I tie it into a ponytail, bangs hanging out. I pull on my gloves, and zip them up, after I put on my shirt. It's skintight and has a nice leaf pattern on it. This will be perfect for training today. I head down to the dining room and eat my fill, and then Brook and I walk toward the Training center. It's not exactly that we train together, but instead we come and leave at the same time. I head over to the bow and arrow station, and I guess it takes me a good half an hour to get everything right. After I've mastered this, I head over to the edible plants test and make a decent 94% correct. I guess I have a 94% chance of survival when it comes to food then.

I make my way over to the knives and throw one, hitting the target the first try. I work on axes too. I guess this is where I'm good. I stay here for about another half hour until I can hit the bulls eye every time. I'm proud of myself. The next station is survival skills. I know how to tie knots, how to fend off little creatures that might want to take my food, and all that other good stuff. After this training is over, I head out, hair damp with sweat. I didn't need to worry about the fire making station, because as a tree-cutter, you're born knowing how to do it, or at least I was.

* * *

><p>I change out of my sweaty shirt and head over to lunch. District 12 and some other girls have gotten there first. I also see a District four kid approaching. I grab a plate and take a seat. I remember seeing those District 12 girls in their outfits last night. They looked okay, but I knew District seven kids were the ones really rocking out. We were the ones with the prettiest tributes. I've always been one to boast. Tabitha, a district 12 kid says to me,<p>

"We loved your dresses last night!" I smile kindly, and put my fork down.

"Yeah, we were modified trees. It suits us." I reply, and then continue with my meal. We talk about some other things, as more girls approach and take their seats.

After I'm done eating, I say my goodbyes, and with them luck during their tests. When we line up to go in front of the Gamemakers, I'm not really paying attention to who's in front of me and who's behind me. I'm just worried about me.

When it's my turn, I step inside. I've decided to do a few things for the Gamemakers this evening. I show off by twirling a spear in a lot of different positions, and luckily I don't drop it. I stop in the middle of my act, turn around, and throw the spear with my eyes closed. It hits the dummy right in the chest. I smile, and go over to the bows and arrows. I hit the target every time, except once. I didn't position it correctly, and it missed the target by an inch. That would affect my scores. I wince slightly, but smile, nonetheless. My last station to show off at is knife throwing. I've decided that survival skills are boring, and they probably don't want to see that. I throw a series of knives and axes until the Gamemakers are satisfied. They write a few things down and tell me I'm dismissed.

I make my way out of the training room and to my room. As soon as I get there, I burst out in tears. I run into the bathroom, drop my clothes, and soak in the steaming tub, tears still falling from my eyes. My emotions are getting to my head.

"Joshua, I miss you so much! I hope my brother and sister are okay..." I choke out in a whisper. "I love you all so much...I never...t-thought it would all get this emotional..." I sink into the bubbly water until I have to come back up to breath.

I don't really want to watch the scores tonight, but Hayden, and my prep team beg me to come watch, so I get changed, and head into the room with the rest of them, watching the scores come up. Some girl named Laurel manages to pull a ten, which is interesting.

I look at Brook. She's sitting across from me on the other couch. She's busy watching the screen. The two of us both pull eights, but we're not sure that's so good. My prep team insists it's a positive score and it'll get me some good sponsors though. I hope so. You need all the help you can get in these games. Some, Jewel girl pulls a seven, and the District twelve girls both pulled eleven. I gaped at the screen. How could those scrawny little district twelve girls manage an eleven? I'm shocked.

I go to bed praying that I die in my sleep. It would be better than dying in the arena. I stay up thinking about the many ways I could die two days from now if I don't make it past the Cornucopia. Death by knives, spears, fire...maybe I'll trip and break my neck. Maybe a swarm of tracker jackers will kill me. There were so many ways to die. That could very well be the last day of my life. I try to get some sleep, and I'm holding my bracelet tightly in my hand. _I'm winning this for you Joshua._

* * *

><p>When I wake up, my prep team takes me away, and they wax, scrub and clean away until I'm all numb and sparkly again. When Hayden comes in, I instantly ask him what I'll be wearing for Caesar, and he gives me a warm, gay smile. Not like, gay, gay, but the happy gay.<p>

He reaches in the closet and pulls out a black satin dress. It comes with a black pair of gloves that look almost like mine and an assortment of jewelry. I grinned widely. There is also a pair of high top, high heel boots. Not really high, but high enough to be called high heeled. He helps me put the dress on, and it feels very silky against my skin. He buckles a shiny belt crookedly on my waist too. My dress has cuts on the side that are sort of ruffled, like a party, combat dress. It's covered in silver shimmers; nothing like an everyday woodsman outfit. He helps me slip on my gloves, and laces them up for me. They're made of tough, flexible denim. They've got little stars on them too.

"I knew how much you liked gloves like this." he whispered, holding my hand. I swung my legs back and forth in the chair while he does my hair. He's decided my hair should be straight, but he adds little curls in the font. He also sprays it with more silvery glitter stuff, and accents my red highlights. When he does my makeup, he applies dark blue mascara and eye shadow, and gives me special contacts to put in my eyes that make them shimmer like jewels.

"Not that they already don't." he laughs, watching my put them in. He smothers on a coat of fine, ruby red lipstick on, and holds my chin in his hands. "Gorgeous!" He also lets me button on my silver pin to my belt and I slip on my wooden bracelet. He takes a look at it. "That's a beautiful bracelet. Nicely crafted. Who gave it to you?" I try not to tear up, or it would ruin my makeup.

"My...boyfriend." I whispered, smiling at the bracelet. Hayden frowns, and gives me a big hug. "He's a lucky guy, to have such a beautiful young lady like you. He's going to adore you today, just keep your head up." he encourages me. I smile, giving him a big hug. He helps me put on my shoes, and we dance and twirl for a few minutes so I can get used to them. I laugh a lot during those few minutes. Hayden makes me feel safe. He leads me out on stage and shows me where my seat is. I'm right after Brook. I wonder if our order mattered. Maybe she did a bit better than me in the test? I don't know.

Caesar is wearing black this year, and he looks all gothic. It's kind of creepy, but I find Hayden in the crowd and feel a lot better. Besides, I know Caesar is funny from watching other Hunger Games. When it's my turn, I walk gingerly toward him, and take my seat. I make sure my outfit looks it's sexiest as I take my seat. My hair shimmers a bit in the spotlight. Caesar smiles.

"My, my, what do we have here? A miss, Skyler Crossten I presume. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance," he says, humbly bowing in his chair. I smile.

"It's a pleasure to be here really." I claim, giving a laugh. He grins.

"So, what's your favorite thing here at the Capitol so far?" he asks.

"Well," I start. "I think I might be in love with the outfit designers. They're really beautiful. Here! Take a look at what Hayden gave me." I grin and happily get up. I twirl around in my dress, and I think I hear a few people awing at the complexion. Caesar claps, as I take my seat. I can see Hayden holding a napkin to his eyes. He's crying.

"That's a marvelous dress! But I couldn't help notice, that bracelet you're wearing on your arm. It's very beautiful. Who gave it to you? Obviously not one of our designers." I don't know what to do. My feet stop shuffling.

"Well...my boyfriend gave it to me." I say, looking at Hayden. Caesar smiles, and leans in.

"It wasn't that daring, brooding young man you, shared a smooch with back in District 7, was it?" he said slyly. I was starting to blush.

"Why, of course it was indeed! You capitol civilians are so clever!" I say, giving a warm smile and wink to the camera. Caesar laughed.

"Well, before time is up, tell me, what course do you like the most?" he asked. Food questions were always involved when it came to Caesar.

"Oh my god! Where do I start? I think I'm in love with your blueberry waffles! They're so good! I could eat them all day long!" I smile. Caesar makes a face at the crowd.

"Well, be careful how many of those you eat." He tries to laugh. The buzzer goes off. "Oh, I'm sorry Skyler, times up!" I look at him.

"You mind if I say something to my folks back home before I leave?" I ask kindly. Caesar smiles.

"Go right ahead." he says. I look at the camera, holding up a heart in my hands.

"I love you guys! Eliza, I hope you're being good for Josh! I'll be home before you know it! Joshua, I hope you're not worrying about me. I'm fine. It's great here!" I said, twirling in a circle, and then I got off stage.

The cars brought us back to the training center, and i threw myself onto bed, but I was extremely jumpy. I only got about four hours of sleep.

* * *

><p>When I woke up, my prep team was waiting for me. I left my weapon pendant behind, but I had planned to use it. It seemed to me now that it wasn't fair. My prep team was a lot nicer and quieter today. They didn't scrub me as hard, and they lotion me down kindly.<p>

I got into some tan khaki pants, and black hunting boots. They let me choose the lace color. I chose black, to match the color of the boots. I was given a black belt to put on, and a green t-shirt. I tucked it in under my pants and secured the belt. They also handed me a black hooded jacket. I asked if I could wear my gloves in the arena, and they said it should be fine. But I don't wear my gloves. I wear the ones Hayden gave me. They're a lot sturdier. I slip my bracelet over my right glove, and fasten my pin to my belt, after I kiss it of course. I tie my hair in a tight ponytail and they lead me to the glass tubes room. That's what I like to call them. I sit down, and a lady injects a tracker under my skin. I bite my lip to prevent screaming. I get not words of advice, but Hayden comes and gives me a give hug before I step into the tube. I can see them getting smaller as I rise up higher, getting closer to the arena. I close my eyes, and I can almost imagine what it's going to be like.

"Goodbye Joshua, Eliza, Terence. I'll try my best, but I don't know if I can do it." I whisper, standing completely still in the tube. _I believe in you._ I swear I can hear the tiniest whisper in my head, but it must be just the wind. _I believe in you, Skyler Crossten._

* * *

><p><strong>Jewel<strong>

When I woke up, it was 11:30 am. I had to be down at the training center by noon. I got dressed in a plain red shirt, denim short-shorts, a skimpy brown jacket with cheetah prints, and white sneakers.

I put my hair up in a ponytail, then my token on my wrist. Emeralda was still asleep when I passed her room. She was snoring way too loudly, a lot like a pig. _Suits her,_ I thought.

The training center was all right, with weapons and such. I head over to the edible plants station; I passed after the third try. I try other stations with other girls. At lunch I sit with the two girls from District seven: Brook and Skyler, one of the girls from District four, Laurel, and the two girls from District 12, Alaina and Tabitha, along with one girl from District 11. After lunch we have to take the test. Since I'm in district 1, I go first. I have no idea what to do so I improvise. I drew a big X on a dummy, and hung it to a fake tree. I stab it 4 times in the chest, and then I create a fire under it. We all watch the dummy burn to death. One of them dismissed me, and when I was out of earshot, I mumbled to myself, saying how stupid that was.

It turns out that I pulled a 7. I was happy with what I got. Emeralda pulled a 9.

"You're so going to die stick." she cackled. Why does she keep calling me stick? Is it because I'm too skinny?

* * *

><p>The next morning my prep team just scrubbed me down. We have interviews with Caesar Flickerman, one of the scariest looking men in Panem.<p>

Esta shows me my dress. Its sky blue with short sleeves, and diamonds put into a pyramid starting from the bottom of the dress to my belly button. When I twirl, it looks amazing! She puts a blue headband with more diamonds on my head, and my hair into a tight bun at the back of my head. I looked great, but not myself.

Caesar Flickerman has black hair this year. His face is powdered white with lipstick and eyeliner, the same black color. He looked better than he did last year when his color was forest green, and he looked like a zombie. I go first again! Marley said to try girly. I walked up and shook his outstretched hand. He compliments me on my dress and I twirl and giggle for everyone. Oyo's and Ahhhhh come from the crowd. He started asking me questions.

"So are you worried that you might die out there?" asks Caesar.

" No I'm not worried at all. I'm actually looking forward to winning." I smile. I know I'm lying, a bit of fear flicks across my eyes, and I could swear that Laurel could see it, but I wipe it away immediately.

" Oh really?" He asks.

" Really." I assure him, hoping that he didn't see the fear and panic, along with the nervousness I was experiencing.

" Do you like the capitol food?" Caesar asked, trying to get onto more comfortable subjects.

" The food is okay." I reply, smiling to hide my nervousness."Will you root for me?" I ask, referring to the Games again.

" Of course I will darling. Oh! Time is up! Thanks for you, Jewel." He says.

I smile, and jump up from my chair. I say "No, thank you!" and kiss him on the cheek.

The next morning, I find my arena outfit lying on my bed. I put on the light blue short-sleeved shirt, the black hooded jacket, tan pants with pockets on the side, and the black hunting boots. I lace them up with red laces to remind me of Wen. Brushing my hair is a struggle in the morning; I put my hair into a high side pony. With my token on my wrist, and a smile on my face, Esta and I leave the building and enter a hovercraft. A woman injects a tracking device in my arm. Esta and I finally get to my launch room where I stand on a metal plate. "Good luck" was the last thing I heard from Esta before a cylinder lowers around me, and takes me up to the arena. I am going to die.

* * *

><p><strong>Brook<strong>

The next day I wake up to Crissy banging on my door for another big, big day! _Screw her, all days are the same, 24 hours for each, not including daylight savings, and that wasn't for another four to six months. Stupid lady._ I think. I yell at her to get out, and throw open the curtains so that I can get some fresh sunlight. For as long as I can remember, I've told my parents, and now, Milla, that the sun is the same no matter where we are, and that I look at it, and the moon, because I know that it's shining down on them too.

I head to the sofa, where Jadis has laid out my training clothes for me: A pair of brown pants and a tight forest green t-shirt. I leave my room and head for the breakfast room, or whatever it is called.

The table is bare, instead there's a buffet of food lined up against the wall. I get some waffles and coffee with a roll and sit down. Skyler comes in after a while, and then Johanna and Crissy.

Breakfast is short, and Skyler and I are rushed to the elevator to the training room, which is a short ride down the elevator. It is also an awkward, ride.

* * *

><p>We're the last ones there. I stay away from axes and knives, because everyone who knows me knows I can throw a knife from over 30 feet away and still hit my target. Instead, I work on my survival skills. Fire making's a breeze, and so are edible plants, though knot tying is a little difficult. I'm all right with a bow and arrow, but I epic fail at the sword, though when I try throwing it, that weird turkey girl from district one does bug eyes at me when I hit the target smack in the center.<p>

"What?" I growl. She shakes her head, and goes back to practicing.

By lunch, I've mastered most of the survival skills, and sit along with Skyler, the District 12 kids, a District one kid, a District 11 kid, and Laurel.

The next day is the same up to the point where we have to perform. District seven is right near the middle, so tough luck for me. Skyler goes first, and I sit there in anticipation. They call my name, and I walk in, breathing slowly to calm myself down.

I look around and spot the dummies for sword practice. I drag one over the far end of the room. I use the camouflage station's red berry juice to make a big X in the center of the chest. Then I drag 4 more dummies around in the shape of a trapezoid. I go to the knife-throwing station, grab 5 knives, and hurl them one by one, hitting the center on every one, backing further and further away for each knife until I only have one knife left.

I have the Gamemaker's attention now. I stride all the way across the room, and throw the knife. It lands in the smack center of the X. the Gamemakers nod.

"You are dismissed." I walk out.

That night at dinner, we huddle in front of the television Skyler and I both pull eights' but what I'm most impressed at is the District 12 girls, Tabitha and Alaina, who manage to pull 11s'. I'm actually quite disappointed in myself. My routine was actually pretty boring when I think about it.

* * *

><p>I wake up the next day to my prep team, scrubbing me down in the shower and repainting my nails. I don't even get to glimpse the bright sunlight outside. They spray a type of powder on my skin that makes it shimmer. Messila curls my hair and starts weaving green ribbons into it. Caila brushes on eye makeup while Bandar works on my cheeks and lips.<p>

This time, Jadis comes in with a sparkling green sleeveless dress that comes down to my knees. A pair of brown-tinted leggings, a pair of green see-though heels that make me feel like Cinderella, and a see-though green cloth she has me wrap around my shoulders.

Caesar Flickerman looks like a Gothic Gargoyle this year. His color is black, and it completely terrifies me. Johanna says go for smart, so I wait until it's my turn, and walk up there.

"My, look at you, Miss Brook!" Caesar exclaims.

"It has been a long time since Jadis has changed us from trees, I've noticed." I say, trying to smile in a cocky, smug, confident way, like a lot of the boys in District seven.

"Why yes it has! Do you hear that Jadis? No more trees!" Caesar calls. The audience laughs. I smile, playing along, and raise my eyebrows at Jadis. She gives me a thumbs up.

"So, What's your favorite part of the capitol so far?" Caesar asks.

"The coffee." I respond immediately. More laughter.

"Well yes I can't get enough of them myself!" Caesar says, smiling.

"Anyone special back home?" Caesar asks.

"I'm sure some guys like, me, but it looks like the odds are not in their favor." I reply.

"Yes it does." Caesar agrees. "How tragic." Caesar says, sadly. You can hear the people in the crowds weeping. The Capitol's people are so sentimental. If you poked them they would probably either cry their faces off or burst into rage.

"So any people you want to win for?"

"My little sister, Milla, and Will, along with my best friend Blake, and Summer." I see Laurel perk up at Summer's name. I grin her way.

"Now, who's this Will boy? And what about Blake? Are they competing for a certain pretty young lady in front of me?" Caesar raises his eyebrows.

"Will lives down the hall in our orphanage, and there's no competition. Blake is just my best friend."

"And what about Summer?" She's a good friend of mine. Blake's girlfriend if you're wondering, so there go his chances with me."

"Well, you getter go back and get those boys! Seems like there's a lineup at your door!"

I'm about to come up with a smart response when the four-minute Timer beeps. Thank god, I'm starving.

"Oh! Time's up! May the odds be in your favor, Brook Azela!"

* * *

><p>I don't sleep much that night. I don't think anyone can. I think of Milla. I have to win for her. I guess sort of for will. For my Dead parents. But if that's all I have, I guess I don't have much to lose. I think of Blake, and Will. I'll win for them too, but I promised myself that I would not kill Skyler. Even if it came down to the two of us, she was going to have to kill me, I was not going to kill her. She had way too much to live for.<p>

Instead of staying stuffed up in my room, I head up to the roof. Might as well spend my last days as an actual human being instead of a killing machine might help if I were in fresh air. Climbing up to the roof, I drag along a blanket and a pillow. I fluff it up, lay down on the bench. My eyes slowly drift off to sleep.

The next morning is terrifying. I wake up petrified with the sound of screaming surrounding me. It takes me a moment to realize they're Crissa's screams, and she's screaming "Get up!" I work my way out of the tangle of blankets. Crissy's saying something about the repulsiveness of a tribute sleeping in the open air, and she ushers me downstairs.

She hands me a stack of clothes: a green t-shirt, a black jacket, khaki pants, and tall, knee-high lace up boots, just without laces. I find a small pile of brown laces covered with baby green leaves lying on my bed, and I lace up my boots. I find that under the belt, which has pockets to keep things in, there's a blue knitted headband lying on the floor. I tie it around my neck, and look myself in the mirror.

"BROOK YOU GET OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!" Crissy yells. Gosh, lady, you take two hours to get into your clothes and you're telling me to hurry up? Chill.

Jadis is waiting for me in the launch room. I eat a little bit more, she goes through a pep talk, and she pulls my hair back into a ponytail. A weird Capitol lady injects this metal tracking device into my skin, and leaves. I step onto the metal circle that will take me up to the arena. I wonder what will lie there. I feel the plate shift. Jadis is smiling and waving me goodbye.

"You will win. You have that vibe." Jadis assures me. I'm about to ask her 'what vibe?' when the metal circle moves. Glass surrounds me, and suddenly, I'm in a different world.

* * *

><p><strong>Tabitha<strong>

I wake up really early in the morning and sneak into Alaina's room. It's dark, so I pull the curtains open.

"Get us, sleepy head!" I giggle, banging on the wall. Alaina snorts under her pillow that she doesn't want to get up, so I do the kindest thing I can think of and pull her off of the bed. She lands on the floor with a thump.

"Thanks, Tabby." she mumbled sarcastically, face down on the floor. I laugh.

"Today's training day, you've gotta get up!" I say, prodding at her side with my toe. She finally decides she wants to get up, and shoves me out the door. I laugh, and since I'm already dressed, I wait outside the door.

I'm wearing a pair of converse shoes that are bright aqua, which I have so gratefully received while being here at the Capitol. A black t-shirt with twelve printed brightly on it serves as my cover up, which of course is under my blue denim jean jacket. My pants are tight fitting jeans with hearts embroidered all over them. I wait for Alaina to get dressed, and we head for the elevator. Oh, and don't forget I'm wearing my token, the bright orange headband my parents gave me.

* * *

><p>We're the first tributes to arrive at the Training Center, so we get first pick on what we want to do. We get our District numbers pinned to our backs on a piece of cloth, so everyone can recognize us. I listen to the trainer give directions very intently, I don't want to do anything wrong. The first thing I ask Alaina is<p>

"Do you wanna go try the knot tying station?" She shrugs a yes, and we walk over. _This is my chance to show what I'm really made of! _I think positively, but I'm rustier than I think. I'm having more trouble than I should be, and Alaina's whizzing through it. I get fed up with the rope. "I should be able to do this! I've been tying ropes since I was a baby!" I murmur quietly to myself. I can't believe my fumbling fingers could mess up this bad. I'm already sweating and we haven't even gotten to the real thing. After about thirty minutes we head over to the other stations. I was pretty good at the edible plants station, but I wished there was a bug identifying station. I would have aced that one.

When we get to lunch, we eat silently, but then some girls start coming toward us. Skyler and Brook, two girls from District seven, and Laurel, a District four girl. They take their seats and I just sit there eating. We run through a long conversation about last night and how wonderful our dresses were.

The one they call Skyler acted kind of boastful. But she's really pretty, and she acts cool, like she can take on anyone. She seems really prepared for the arena tomorrow, but I don't, and she's only a year older than me. Some more girls filter in slowly, until we have a whole crowd, and then Skyler leaves. I wonder why. Maybe she thinks she's too cool for us? No. Maybe she's like me and just needs some time alone, so she can cry it all out before the tests come.

When they do, as usual Alaina and I are last to go. Alaina goes before me, and I wish her lots of luck. When she comes out, it's my turn. I walk in timidly, and introduce myself to the judges. I grab a dummy and place it in front of me, and then grab a set of throwing knives. I try to think of all the people I hate, position the knives in my fingers, and hurl them across the room and stick them into the dummy.

The judges look bored, like they've seen this all before, so I throw the knives backward, with my eyes closed, and I don't miss the target once. They still seem bored. I get so angry with them. They could at least show me some courtesy! I grab the set of knives and stand in front of the judges, face lit up with hatred. All of a sudden all eyes or on me, and I grab a knife, playing with it fondly, trying to look extremely sinister. I touch the point with my finger, and all of a sudden hurl it at the first judge.

He ducks in fear, and the knife lands right in the middle of his plate, smashing it in two. I now grab two knives, and throw them at the next two judges, not moving where I stand, and they hit the exact spot in the middle of their plates. I'm so upset; I don't even know what I'm doing. I keep at this until all of the judges have had knives thrown at them, and then they dismiss me, trying to pry the knives from their meals. I'm quite pleased with myself actually. I head out with a smile on my face.

I get to my room that night and take a quick shower, and then head into the TV room with Alaina and our prep teams, along with Haymitch, of course. We watched the scores come up. The district seven girls, Brook and Skyler, pulled off beautiful eights, Laurel pulled off a 10, some other girl of whom I don't remember the name pulled a seven, and some of the adults in the room gasped quietly. But the final scores, Alaina and I, we scored 11! I can't believe it! Maybe my precision skills really did pay off. I went to sleep that night with a big smile on my face, my headband lying on the dresser next to my bed. 11. The highest scores belonged to us. I was so overjoyed, I could barley sleep.

* * *

><p>That next day, Alaina and I got to sleep in super late. Almost until 12 pm. I woke up refreshed, and was immediately greeted by my prep team, Abigail and Brittany. They wash me down, clean me up, and this time I get a good waxing. It hurts, but not as much, since there isn't a lot to pull. When Annie comes in, she's carrying what I'll be wearing for Caesar Flickerman. He's my role model! My room is filled with posters of him, the ones I can afford anyway. Most of them are fan art. I can't believe I'll actually get to meet him.<p>

Annie shows me my dress. It's really short, and has lots of elegant frills on it. I have never been able to wear something so good on me, but I'm afraid I'm not beauty material. My dress has puffy ends too, and it's black. I'm going to look just like Caesar probably. It has a yellow shimmer to it though, and there's a yellow flower pinned to the top right shoulder. She helps me put it on, and then gives me my shoes. They're black converse. High top. I smile. I've loved the look of these kind of shoes, and they feel pretty good under me. She pins my hair into a messy bun, leaving my bangs down, and curls the ends.

My makeup is harder to describe. She patted me down with a concealer, and then put on a little bit of glitzy and glamorous golden blush on my cheeks. My eyelashes were coated with a thick load of black mascara, and my eyelids were painted over with a delicate shade of yellow, mixed with silver glitter. She sprayed my face with this sticky, flowery smelling glitter that made me sneeze. My nails were painted French style, and were covered with delicate little shiny jewels. She dried them quickly and then polished them with a coat of clear varnish.

I waited my turn in the line, and when the stage belonged to me, I tried to make a big scene of it. I walked up to Caesar with a strut, turned on my heels, waved at the camera, and then sat down. Caesar clapped loudly.

"Beautiful entrance misses...Tabitha Derickson! It's a pleasure to meet you," he said, hand outstretched. I shook it kindly, and sat back in my chair.

"So, what's your favorite part of the City of Panem so far?" He asked with a smile on his face. I thought for a bit.

"I think my favorite part of the city is probably the fancy cuisines they offer. I mean, coming from such a poverty stricken District, the food is the best thing there is! I don't know anyone who wouldn't want to get a bite of your meals Caesar!" I smile, my hands clasped together. Caesar smiles.

"Everyone who's ever come here likes the food, I'll tell you that. Now, is there anyone back home you want to win for?" I nodded quickly.

"I'd like to win for my mother. She was a tribute once, for the Hunger games. A victor too! She just didn't want to come this year. She would be so proud of me, and our family would hold the record for the most victors in one bloodline." I grinned, shuffling my feet on the floor.

"Well, I hope that goes well for you, but, there isn't any, boy back in District 12 you want to win for?" He asked, with a faked frown.

"No...I've never had a boyfriend. Sure, I like some guys, but I'm only thirteen. I mean, you can't expect a true relationship at thirteen. I'm sure there's some guy back home that's rooting for me though. At least one." I nod reassuringly. The buzzer goes off. This conversation has been going on longer than I thought. Caesar smiles at me, and we shake hands for the parting.

* * *

><p>I get a good rest that night, because I don't want to be tired for the Cornucopia. When I wake up, I quickly scuttle into my orange t-shirt, and tan khaki pants. I lace my orange laced black hunting boots up very tightly, and pull my black hooded jacket over it all, not zipping it up. It makes me look cooler. I pull my orange headband over my head, and let my bangs hang loose. I walk out the door with Annie, because she's coming with me to the hovercraft.<p>

When we get there, a lady injects a tracking device under my arm. It hurts, and I keep rubbing my finger over the bump. _As soon as I make camp, I'm taking this thing off. I'll need a knife. I can't have anyone watching me. That's just not right. If I can remove this little device from my arm and destroy it, maybe I can get away. I know it's not fair, but I need to stay alive._

I step into the little shoot looking tube, and wave goodbye to Annie. I think I can see her crying. I press my hands against the glass, breath on it, and draw a little heart for her. My life, will be gone in a couple of hours if I can't find what I need at the Cornucopia


	4. Chapter 4: Twelve to go

**(A/N):**

**Sparkles** owns Alaina and Jewel

**Snowwy **owns Skyler and Tabitha

**Sunkist **owns Laurel and Brook

**Sunkist:** Ok, I've been really busy with SATs and stuff, so I haven't updated latley, and I am really sorry! but uh, CHAPTER FOUR! this one's kinda short two... WHO'S EXCITED TO SEE GLEE ON TUESDAY? sorry, uh, huge gleek, please don't review saying stuff like 'glee sucks'! that's your own opinion... and don't stop reading this... you haven't even gotten to read the good stuff yet...

**Disclaimer:** We will never be awesome enough to own the Hunger Games... But we're still pretty awesome.

**Chapter Four)**

* * *

><p><strong>Alaina<strong>

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the 100th Hunger Games begin!" Claudius Templesmith announced. I look around me. To my right, Skyler, and to my left, Laurel. I get positioned to run; ready to get the supplies that I can. We have to stand on the plate for less than a minute. In front of me is the cornucopia, holding everything that we need to survive. Valuable and less valuable items are scattered around. The gong rings, and I run.

I am the second fastest runner in my district: the first is Katharine Guamelle. I first grab the arrows and bow, and then a medium sized camouflaged backpack. I fight over a forest green sleeping bag with Emeralda. I grab one arrow and I stab her hand with it, she cries out in pain and lets go of the sleeping bag. I run into the forest as fast as I can. When I get to a slope in the ground, I slow to a jog. I look around the forest for a sturdy tree, and I set my sights on a willow. Sitting on a big branch in the middle of it, I get to look at my items.

In the backpack there are a lot of things: a water bottle, 1 food pack, black glasses with lime green lenses, a box the size of a laptop computer that holds all different kinds of ointments, 8 water purifiers, and a bunch of bandages. I put them all back in the bag, and I see a glimpse of my arm. It is bleeding a bit, from where Emeralda scratched me with her long fingernails.

Since it's not that bad, I leave it be.

"Alaina?" Tabitha whispers. She is crawling under my tree. "I'm not going to kill you; I want to make an alliance I saw you run here." She explains. I pop my head out and surprise her. She does a little gasp and puts her hand to her chest. "Don't scare me like that!" She whisper-screamed. She climbs the tree and sits next to me. "Can we make an alliance?" she asks me. I think about it before answering her. Well I was planning on starting an alliance when I find someone I can really trust. It's not that I don't trust her it's just I don't think I should me making an alliance on the first day. "Well?" she asks urgently.

"I don't know yet." I say to her.

"Oh" she says understandingly. "Maybe later in the game?" I ask "Maybe." she replies. She doesn't kill me but she leaves the tree and scurries away into the forest.

_Wow that was weird..._ I think. This sort of thing doesn't happen in the hunger games. You know, seeing a person, asking them to be in an alliance, and then when they say maybe later they don't kill them. Isn't that what you do in the arena, Kill? I get down from the tree and start walking. A few miles ahead, I find a bridge leading to more land. I cross slowly, making sure I grip the railing. Heights are not exactly my favorite thing.

I finally get across. There is a river on my close right, and a river on my far left. A huge, snowy mountain towers in front of me. I walk to the river on my far left; searching around to make sure nobody is around, ready to kill. There is a whole section of forest near the river filled with willow trees. I climb one and make my temporary home. It's a good place because the long leaves hide me from other tributes, and a water source close by.

It's evening by the time I lay out my sleeping bag. I hear cannons in the distance. _One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve. _I count. That means the fight at the cornucopia has finally stopped. 12 down 12 to go, then I'm home, hopefully.

I take a pack of dried mangos and eat four. I slip into my sleeping bag silently, looking up into the now nighttime sky. For a while I see if I can find different constellations. When my mom was alive and my dad wasn't a lying drunk addict, my family would go outside on a big blanket and stare into the sky. Whenever one of us saw a constellation, we would point to it and say what we think it looks like. I find a woman holding a teacup, a snake sticking its tongue out, a heart with Evans face in it, and I do a double take when I see my mothers kind smiling face up there.

"Do you believe I can win mom?" I ask silently to the face in the sky.

I hear the anthem that shows the death recap. I have a great view of the seal of the capitol. The branches are separated at the top, enough to show a big piece of sky. The anthem ends and the sky gets darker, the stars that were placed there before disappeared. They are replaced by headshots that show the name and district number underneath it. One girl from District two, one from three, both from five and six, both from eight, both from nine and one from 11. I slip into sleep wondering where my friends are.

Later in the night I hear footsteps coming towards my tree. I freeze so nobody can here or see me.

"We have been walking for hours!" a whiney girl says. _The careers_ I think. Every hunger games the careers form an alliance on the first day. I don't like how they have been preparing for the hunger games their whole life! It doesn't seem fair to the other districts. In district 12 we call them the capitols pets. District one is the capitols dogs, District 2 are cats, District 3 are parrots, and District 4 are goldfishes. In the light of the moon I can see who is in the pack. Jewel, one girl from District two and three, and one from 11. _Wow, only 4 girls? _I think. Jewel must have been thinking the same thing I was, because she said that they needed to find more girls for the pack. I was considering coming out and being in the group, but what if they shoot at me for surprising them. I stay frozen until a girl asks if they can sleep in my tree.

_No, no, no, no, no!_ Thankfully Jewel says there are far better trees to hide in, and they start walking away. I go to sleep once more, dreaming about Evan and me once more. I'm happy because it seems to be the same dream I had the other night, except Tabitha wasn't there to wake me up from it. My eyes flutter open as the sun starts to rise to tell me another day of surviving has started.

* * *

><p><strong>Laurel<strong>

I hear Claudius Templesmith announce something about some 100th game. I'm more into taking in my surroundings: a tropical terrain with a mountain in the distance. This is my advantage. I focus on the cornucopia. Stacks and stacks of items piled on top of each other. I spot a few spears. They're too far into the cornucopia, and I can't risk that. Instead, I spot a light brown bag a few feet from me. That might work.

The gong sounds, and I rush for it. Unfortunately, so does a girl from 9. We tug on the bag for a few seconds, and there's a _thunk_. A spear is lodged right in her back. A spear! I grab the pack and pull the spear from the girl's back. Then I run out into the forest. I don't take the time to look in the pack. I just run and run until I'm almost out of breath.

Racing up to the edge of the island, I spot a bridge: a rickety, old one, hanging by stiff, moldy wood on each side. I stare at it doubtfully, but decide to cross it, staying on the edge in case something happens; I could always jump into the water and swim away, most people can't do that.

When I'm across, I sit on the beach and examine the bridge. Suddenly it collapses, and a girl that was on the bridge screams as she plummets toward the ocean. She doesn't reappear until the hovercraft drags her limp body out of the water. Her items are washed to shore by the waves: another spear, and a hunting knife. I take both, and clean them in the salt water. The bridge goes back to its original position.

I take a deep breath and look for a place to sleep. I find a large palm tree. Luckily in District four, they teach you how to climb even the slickest palm tree to get leftover coconuts. Plenty of different palms grow on the beaches, and Gwyneth and I used to climb them to see if we could find a couple coconuts or bananas to sell for a bit of money. This one is pretty slick, and I have trouble climbing it, but I manage, and I climb into the center at the top and rest.

I take the time to look in my pack. It includes a water bottle- empty, of course, a first aid kit, and a blanket. I don't know what the blanket's for, it's really warm tonight, but I lay it over me and find that' it's really light and adjusts to the temperature, so I keep it on.

It's evening and I'm starting to get really hungry, (come one, why else do they call it the hunger games?) so I reach down and pluck a coconut off a tree. I crack it open with the help of the knife, and I drink out all the milk. I put the two shells into my bag knowing that the whites are still edible, and that it's heavy enough to throw at someone. Summer, Gwen and I would often take the whites of the coconuts home, only selling the milk. There was even a time when we threw one at one of the bullies at the school.

From my point of view, I can see most of the island, and I can also see that there are several rivers snaking down from the mountain, each making a nice, fan-shaped delta at the water right beneath the bridge. I have a water source. The coconuts will serve as a food source, and of course, the palm tree can be a great source of shelter. Glancing at the other island, I see that that one has no water. The tributes stuck there will have to find a way to cross the bridge if they want to get any water.

Curling up in the blanket, I watch the dark sky, waiting for the re-runs. There have been 12 deaths today, one girl from district two, one from three, both from five and six, both from eight, both from nine, and one from eleven. I realize the one who drowned was the girl from 5. I shake off the thought of her family, and I settle down for some sleep.

I'm a really light sleeper, and I wake up in the middle of the night to whispering.

"I'll bet you anything that idiot Laurel's up in that tree!" says one voice. _Crap_. My blanket was, now that I noticed, a weird shade of pinkish white. Screw the Capitol; if a stupid person like Becky could see me, I needed to camouflage this thing.

"Come on, no one could climb that tree!" the girl from district one, was it Jewel? District one has naming problems. Glimmer, Marvel, there was even a girl named Sparkles last year, and the year before, Powder-Sugar. _Idiots._

"Let's just cut down the tree and see!" says another voice. Crap. I should have thought it through before getting into the tree.

"Let me try and get up first. If I can't, we'll shake her out," says a girl from 11, I think.

The girl from district eleven starts to climb. Glancing down, I know I have to find some way to leave. The rest of the careers are surrounding the tree in some kind of half circle, all near the girl. I get an idea. I quickly pack up my things, making sure that the top of the bag is completely zipped up. Then, I grab one coconut half, and hurl it down at the District 11 girl.

She squeals, and tumbles down the tree, bringing down her career friends as well. I peek over, and see Jewel still standing. I grab the other coconut half, but Jewel shakes her head. 'Run.' She mouths. I hop down, and scurry into the forest, leaving the groaning careers behind me. They'll be back.

* * *

><p><strong>Skyler<strong>

I can't believe I'm here! To my left, is that girl from District Twelve, Alaina. That's all I really pay attention to. I don't even hear Claudius Templesmith announcing the 100th Hunger Games. I'm too busy looking around at the items scattered about at the Cornucopia. I spot a belt of throwing knives. If I can get my hands of those, I'll be set to go. Then I catch myself looking at a backpack. Think of what could be in there! There could be a ton of things I might need. And they're relatively close. I brace my left foot behind me, sliding it at the perfect angle for lift off. I'm a lefty, so all of my strength comes from the right side of my body. The gong rings and I get an excellent push off.

I can feel the grainy, coarse ground underneath my boots, but I don't stop for one minute. I grab the backpack first, because it will be easier to slide my arms into. I then skid toward the belt of knives and pick up one end. But there's someone else on the other end, tugging at it just as hard. I can't risk taking forever fighting over it. I let it go and dart into the woods. My leg is suddenly searing with pain, and I tumble to the ground, moving just fast enough to hurdle myself behind a large rock. I can spy the bridge that leads to a bigger island, probably where we'll be competing. I look at my leg. There's a dagger plunged a bit lower than skin deep. I get a good grip on it, and pull it out. I must keep moving. I stand up slowly. I can still walk, so I must be able to run, just far enough to get across the bridge.

I start running, and I can already feel the blood running down my leg and soaking up my pants. _They were brand new too._ I lecture myself. Whoever threw this thing at me, either missed their initial target, or had really good aim. I ran through a number of girls I knew might have experience with knife throwing. My leg is throbbing, but I don't let it get to me. As long as I keep pressure on it, it doesn't hurt. But I can't help thinking maybe there's something in my bad that would help me. If I stand in the middle of the clearing someone might find me though. I'll be the next to die. I spot a clump or large rocks, and it seems like a good place to stay. I'll be far behind the other tributes, but at least they're main goal is to get across the bridge before nightfall. No one will want to hang around on this island.

I stagger over to the clump and notice a nice little nook. It looks deep enough to crawl into, and there's a small port hole through the top where the light comes in. I crawl inside. It's a somewhat tight fit, but I manage to scoot just far enough inside so that no one can spot me. I open my bag.

I know I already have a dagger, the one used against me. It will be very useful, with its serrated sides. In my backpack I find a series of things that would be useful. A water bottle, of course empty though, A pack of nuts, which will be useful tonight. I put them down beside me as I recite what they are in my head. There's another pack of dried apples in my bag too. A shard of rock that I might be able to use as a weapon is also found in the contents of my bag. Ahh! Two flint stones! I could make a fire with these, if only I could conceal the smoke and the light.

When I open another, bigger compartment to my backpack, I find a tightly rolled up blanket that I could use for warmth. I got the luck of the draw I guess. Out of all the backpacks I could have picked, I got this one. But this is all I've received at the cornucopia. I pull out my blanket and unroll it, and then put away everything except for my bag of dried apple crisps, and settle down for the night. I can see just enough of the sky through my port whole to see the death recap. I hear the cannons go off in the distance. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10. We've already reached ten! Eleven, twelve. Twelve tributes dead at the cornucopia. I can't help thinking that maybe Brook might have been one, but she's a great survivor, I'm sure of it. She probably made it through today. Twelve less to deal with. It's just me and eleven others tomorrow.

I pull out one dainty little piece of apple crisp and pop it into my mouth, chewing it quietly to avoid anyone else knowing I'm here. I watch as they project the death re-run. One girl from District two, one from three, both tributes from five and six, and both from District eight. Some of these were skilled fighters. I couldn't understand how they could have died out.

I put away my apple crisps, eat a few nuts, and look at my leg. It needs to be cleaned, or at the least bandaged. Suddenly, I hear a noise. It's a faint rustling. I wasn't the only one who decided on staying. I see black boots outside of my nook, and I hold my breath. I couldn't tell who it was, but I knew they knew someone was here. She was alone. I packed my things, folded my blanket ever so quietly, and slid my pack onto my back. I pulled my still bloody dagger in my hand, feeling it's wooden handle smooth in my left hand. She knows I'm in here.

I feel the blood lust flowing through me, and I know I've got to get away. Just as she's about to look into the port at the top, I slide out from the entrance and trip her with my good leg. She stumbles back, and pulls a rock from a back tied to her waist. I sprawl out at threaten her with the dagger, pinning her to a wall. My leg is throbbing again, and I know that I must have rubbed it against something. This girl has sharp blue eyes that stare it me with a fear I cannot describe. She obviously remembers the scrawny girl who pulled a lousy eight at the test, but she never knew I would be like this. I give her a snarl.

"Hand over everything you're carrying. Now! I want to see it all lain out neatly on the ground. But first, give me your slingshot and your bag of rocks!" I shout, holding the dagger to her throat. She puts down her weapons, and shoves them toward my feet. I watch her as she gets rid of everything in her pack. She's carrying a bottle that will hold a quart of water, a few packs of assorted foods, a small hand jar of some sort of ointment, and a smooth, leather sheathed carving knife. I pick it up, dagger still to her, and carefully place it in my pack. I can further examine my prize later. I sling the bag of arrows across my waist and buckle it, and hold the slingshot in my hand. I'm pretty sure I can shoot a rock like this some distance. I slowly back up from the girl, and I know she doesn't think she'll ever survive.

"You should be pleased that I didn't kill you. Now, go to the bridge. Run. Run as fast as you can and don't stop. I've given you the liberty of keeping your bag. I'm sure you'll find your own way of getting food, if they don't find you first. Now go!" I yell at her, and I watch her grab the bag by the strap and run.

I can't believe it. Why did I just let her go like that? I should have killed her while I had the chance! But maybe, just maybe I'm too soft to kill, yet. I'm sure I'll get around to it. I'll be blind as a bull. I won't know the difference between friend and foe. I'll just kill. I'll kill like there's no tomorrow, until I win the hunger games, and then Joshua will never love me. He'll be frightened of me, like I'm a monster, craving the smell of someone's blood on my hands. But no, he'll always love me. I look at the bracelet on my wrist.

I know there's a camera watching me, I can feel it. I stare in the direction I think it's in, and just...look at it, my eyes blazing with confidence. And then I run, in the same direction the girl did, of whom I stripped of all her belongings and shoved deep into the woods. There was no way she could survive the next few hours without her supplies. I teeter as I stop at the edge of the bridge. The things on my bag are heavier, now that I'm carrying a two person's supply of equipment. It's so dark, but I can see. I've always been nocturnal at heart. I cross the bridge in silent footsteps, and then, I crawl into a small hook in a tree near the end of the bridge. There's just enough foliage to keep me hidden until the first rays of morning, and then I have to keep moving.

It's pretty warm out, so I just sit in the crook of the tree and sleep, my head bent into the curve of the tree. Tonight I will rest, and tomorrow, I will find my first kill. I need to win this game. There's no way I can lose!

* * *

><p><strong>Jewel<strong>

Claudius Templesmith's booming voice fills the arena, saying let the 100th Hunger games begin. The bright sun makes me squint my eyes. I have enough time to look at the people around me: on my right, Brook, and on my left, Emeralda. The cornucopia lies in front of me, holding everything we need to survive here. The gong sounds and I run as fast as I can grab a bag laying on a rock near me. A girl from district two shoots a spear at my head. I duck just in time. Pulling the spear out of the tree it hit, I smirk. _Thanks for the spear!_ I think. Quickly I pick up a shovel, and I run to the forest.

After about twenty minutes of walking, I stop to check my things. The bag is about as big as my head. Inside, there are glasses of some sort, a pack of matches, a water bottle filled with water, and some shards of rock. I also have the spear a girl threw at me, along with a lantern, and a shovel.

I'm glad I have the shovel because I am afraid of heights! I reach a hill and I have a great idea. I go to the side of the hill and dig a room. It takes a while but I get it done. When I throw my stuff in the "room" cannons fire in the distance. Twelve people gone, twelve people left. I walk into the room and turn on the lantern.

I'm about to make a door when I see some girls walking towards me.

"Your great at building things..." one girl says. I mutter a thanks and I ask if they want to be in an alliance. They huddle and whisper to each other. I can hear parts of their decision.

"_She can be of real use" _

_"But what if she plans to kill us?" _

_"Does it really matter, I'm pretty sure she won't do that." _They get up and say yes. I invite them in my little cave, and close the door. The first girl that talked to me says her name is Catarina, the one in the middle is Hannah, and the one on the right is June. They all are dressed the same as me except their shirts are different colors.

"Here" June says while giving me a piece of paper.

The paper has the different colors for each district; District one was sky blue, District two was bright red. District three was yellow; District four, a marine blue. District five was chocolate brown, while District six was ash grey. District seven was forest green, District eight was pitch black, District nine, soft pink, District ten, blank white, District eleven, royal purple, and District twelve, dark orange.

"This is how you can tell which district they are from." June says. I look at their shirts, Catarina or Cat for short is from district 2, Hannah is from district 3, and June is from district 11. The anthem starts playing and we tiptoe outside. We see headshots of the tributes in the sky. Cat is crying, maybe because the girl from her district was her sister. I pat her back and we go back into the room.

"Shhh, do you hear that?" Hannah whispered. We all get up and I look through a crack in the door. Brook is running towards us. She is miles away but I have very good eyes.

"Run!" I call to them. We each got out and ran, while doing so Hannah asks how Brook could see our door. No one answers because honestly nobody has an answer. We cross a bridge leading to more land. I check to see if she followed us. Each of the girls is breathing heavily and we have to stop for a minute. We take in our surroundings, a mountain in the middle, and two rivers: one on our right and one on our left.

"Lets go to the left." June says.

We reach a patch of willow trees near the river.

"We have been walking for hours!" Cat whines.

"Shut up it's only been 20 minutes." Hannah says. Cat falls to the ground and stays there for a few minutes.

"We need more people" I say to them. These girls are some of the whiniest, stupidest, craziest people I have ever met. I really wish my friends were in an alliance with me instead of these children. I actually made friends in the training center. Brook, Alaina, Laurel, Skyler, and Tabitha. I wonder if Brook knew it was me that she was chasing after.

"Can we sleep in this tree?" June asks. I haven't told them that I am afraid of heights yet, so I say there are plenty of better trees to hide in. We start walking away and in the corner of my eye, I see Alaina's black hair. I know it's hers because earlier today she was fighting with Emeralda. Her hair was in a black braid going down her back and one strand was red. I smiled because I know she thinks I just saved her from being killed by these harmless freaks.

"Do you see that?" Cat asks. We were on the other side of the mountain, and we could all see a set of eyes staring at us. June pointed her spear at the eyes ready to shoot.

"Wait! Don't shoot!" The eyes pleaded. Becky jumped out of the tree holding her hands up like she was surrendering.

"I want to be part of your alliance..." she said carefully. The 3 girls glanced at each other getting ready to go into another huddle, when I stopped them.

"Prove it." I whispered.

"I swear on ice cream with chicken fingers." She answered. _Oh! She said ice cream and chicken fingers were her favorite food in the capitol on her interview! _I thought. I knew I could trust her because laurel told me that she would never lie. I smiled; she came towards us and smiled too.

"Let's go to the cornucopia," June instructs, "It's the best place to be right now."

Before we cross the bridge onto the other piece of land, June spots a palm tree with a pinkish edge of cloth sticking out from it.

"I bet you that idiot, Laurel is up in that tree!" Becky says. I knew Laurel was up there, and she is a friend of mine, I think. How could Becky be so mean to her like that? Laurel said she is the one to trust. I guess later in the game someone will have to kill her.

"Oh come on, no one can climb that tree!" I explain trying to save her.

"Let's just cut down the tree and see!" Hannah says.

"Let me just try to get up there first, if I can't we'll shake her out." June says tiredly. She starts climbing the tree, and then falls on top of the others when Laurel throws a half coconut. I almost laugh, but I hold it in. The others are still on the ground when she jumps off of the tree. Laurel looks at me with big eyes and I make a pained face. Why doesn't she trust me? I try to let her know that I'm on her side. Before my alliance gets up to kill her, I mouth the word run in her direction.

I finally get everybody up. "We could have gotten her if only that coconut didn't knock us all down." Becky explains. We stop to rest, and while we do Becky talks about herself, and how strong she is. The others look fascinated, as if Becky is their role model. I just look fascinated like the others, but on the inside I feel like I want to strangle her.

We cross the bridge making sure that we stay near the rails. Becky had explained about the collapsing bridge, she had killed someone by luring her onto it. I had almost made a disgusted face; Becky's already killed someone in the first day, but I try to look as fascinated as the other girls.

After we have walked for 20 more minutes, I find our old hill. We walk in it and we sleep there for the rest of the night. I dreamt of Wen, the day he visited me. In the morning we sit and share the food that some of us have. I catch Hannah looking at my bracelet. "Is that your token?" Hannah asks. "Um yes." I answer. They all take turns looking at it. On the outside, I have a game look on, on the inside I am weeping silently. I wish my name didn't get called at the reaping. I would be safe at home. Now that I think about it, why would it matter if I die here. There is nobody but Wen and April to come home to. We finish our breakfast and walk outside where we will have to go people hunting as June likes to call it.

* * *

><p><strong>Brook<strong>

I feel the wind in my hair. It's cool outside, and a slight overcast covers the sky. I'm kind of good at noticing things. I take in three possible escape routes: behind me, a dense forest, next to me, a sandy beach, and to my right, a thin line of trees leading to a mountain. I spot a small clip-on side bag, and a belt of knives. Those are probably meant for me. I brace myself. Claudius Templesmith is saying, "Let the 100th Hunger Games Begin!" in his stupid capitol accent. The gong sounds, and I race to the knives. I grab the pack on the way, and find myself in a tug-of-war with Skyler. Then someone from behind me throws a knife at her. Skyler drops the knives and I take them and run.

I have taught myself a lot about forests and trees, and I know enough about them to know that when you see a flash of clear blue, it's not water, or sky, but most likely cloth. I wipe the thought from my head. If someone is there, I cannot just throw myself at them, that will only get me killed.

I'm out of the forest really quickly, and I spot a bridge leading across the water to the mountain I saw earlier. I race across. When I'm more than halfway across, the bridge collapses beneath my feet. I grab onto the handrails, and I suddenly realize that they were built like a ladder. Being from district seven, I was born climbing. I put my feet on the rungs and climb all the way up.

I get off the bridge and I continue walking. The thick forestry goes up the mountain. I use one of the knives and I throw it up into a tree, luckily, an oak. It hits its target perfectly: a branch loaded with acorns. The nuts may be squirrel food, but is Milla and I could survive on this stuff in our daily lives, I'm pretty sure the Gamemakers are ignorant enough to dismiss common acorns.

And I'm right. The acorn's soft bitter insides are a little harder to take, but they work fine. The boots that we've been given are probably mountain boots, many of our District's people wear these on larger colder hills. I brace myself on a branch and climb my way up.

I yank my knife out of a branch and examine the oak. It is firm, and strong, with a lot of dense forestry surrounding the lower levels, making it a good hiding spot, as well as a good sleeping spot. I take a look at my pouch. 10 packets of water purifiers, some dried fruit and nuts, and an empty water bottle. I'll have to refill it tomorrow, but today, I'll last on the juice of acorn powder. I pluck a few more and start chewing.

Night isn't far behind. The recap is just like on TV, the impossibly stupid capitol anthem, and then the faces of the dead tributes. I watch as the faces of one girl from district 2, one from 3, and both from 5, 6, 8, and 9, and one from 11. I wonder if it's the kid we ate lunch with. Then I remind myself it's the hunger games, and I'm not supposed to show sympathy for other people.

I tie my belt of knives above my waist inside my jacket, and I take off the normal one and use it to strap myself into the tree. I use the pack as a pillow. It's a bit cold, but it's cold all the time in district 7, and when you live in an orphanage with no heating and you can't afford coal, you are pretty much immune to the cold within 3 years. That doesn't stop me from sneezing a few times, and then looking around to make sure that no one heard me.

It doesn't take much for me to fall asleep, but since my dad snuck out that night to try and escape, I've always been a light sleeper, so from the first rays of sunlight through the oak leaves. That tells me it's time to get my stupid butt off the tree and move on into day two of the hunger games.

* * *

><p><strong>Tabitha<strong>

When I reach the top to the arena, I inwardly gasp. There are more contestants now that we're all spread out. It seems as if the number of people have grown. I look around and see who's beside me. Two girls I haven't even met yet. One looks at me with a wild, crazy expression as the gong sounds. _Shoot! I missed it! _I curse, pushing off with a wobble. I run toward a small pack: I do not care what is inside it: I just want it. But there's someone on the other end. My eyes widen. It was that girl beside me at the lift off. I kick her just as the spear ruptures from her back. She looks at me with wide eyes, coughing up a storm of bright red liquid. I look behind her. I don't know who it is who got her, but they're aiming for me next.

I run from the Cornucopia as fast as my skinny legs can carry me and cross the bridge, to the middle. But I hear the bridge rumble, and then, it snaps in two. I grasp onto a rung, like it's a ladder. I'm sickly afraid of heights. So I climb slowly and carefully. My foot misses a rung. I let out a loud scream. I replace my foot quickly and keep climbing until I reach the top. Then I scurry from the dirt and keep running. There's a slender, silver razor blade on the ground. When I pick it up, it seems it has a handle. This would not make a very good weapon, but maybe, I can make a weapon with it. And it can get rid of my tracker. I bite down on it with my teeth and keep running.

I reach a sturdy young tree and climb up, my pack bouncing as I reach the top. We have no real use for trees back home, but I'm glad I can climb one. I look inside my pack: a zip lock baggie with two handfuls of straw. _Why would they give me something so useless? _I scowl, placing it in my lap. The next thing I pull out is a small bottle of tracker jacker ointment. I've heard about these genetically engineered wasps, and I know instantly that this could be very useful. The last two things I pull from my pack are a bag of dried beef jerky, and a medicine bottle sized amount of water. I want to drink it, but I know I can wait. I eat a little strip of beef, and then I put everything back in the pack. I then shift my eyes to my 'knife' and my arm.

I've always been a baby when it comes to pain, but I've always hated being watched. I rub the blunt end of my knife over the bump a few times, and then try to pry it out. Tears start falling from my eyes, because it hurts so much, but it won't budge. My arm is now bleeding for no reason. The tracker won't come off. It's like a tick you get during the summer time. It just feeds and feeds, until it's had its fill, and then it just, falls off, all plump and happy until you squish it. I know it's weird, but I can't attract people with the blood on my arms, so I unwillingly lick it off. Even a simple bloodstain on my shirt could leave a lingering smell. Better for them to think I've eaten something raw than made myself bleed. I tear a strip of my brand new shirt with my knife and wrap it around my arm. I'm sure the cameras caught that. I think of their faces when they see me ingesting my own blood.

I lie in my tree, and wonder how many other girls are in trees tonight. Suddenly, I hear a rustle. I jump out of my tree, and crawl about on the floor, knife in my hand just in case I need to use it. I keep moving, maybe about ten minutes, until I see my District 12 partner, Alaina. I look up at her.

"Alaina?" I whisper from below. "Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. I heard you run here, and I want to make an alliance with you. They're all doing it." I explain quietly. She pops her head out, and I jump back. I let out a gasp, holding my hand to my heart as if she were about to scare it out of me. "Don't scare me like that!" I half whisper, half scream. I climb the tree and sit next to her, swaying my legs back and forth. "So, can we make an alliance?" I ask again. She looks like she's thinking about it. She's still thinking, and I whisper urgently, "Well? Alliance or not?"

"I don't know yet." She whispers back, not facing me.

"Oh..." I mumble. I'm a bit disappointed. She could be of great use to me. I try to keep my anger in. I know she doubts my trust.

"Maybe later in the game then?" She asks softly. I shrug.

"Maybe." And then I jump down from her tree and scurry back to my own.

I watch the projection in the sky tonight. The anthem, the cannons. Twelve people dead. Already twelve. That girl I was fighting over the bag with was one of them. She was from a quite wealthy district too. I watch and see where they were all from. So many districts have lost people already. I can't help but think of their families. At least I haven't killed anyone yet. Let's hope I don't have to.

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><p><strong>Sunkist:<strong> Okay! I didn't add a last AN at the end of the other one, but if you have an account, please please please review! :D


	5. Chapter 5: Deceptions

**(A/N):**

**Sparkles** owns Alaina and Jewel

**Snowwy** owns Skyler and Tabitha

**Sunkist** owns Laurel and Brook

**Sunkist:** I'm so sorry this took so long! :/. If I gave you a bunch of useless excuses it wouldn't make a difference, it's still really late. But, without further ado, the fifth chapter of Curtain of Light! Review please! :3 _(This Chapter's a bit shorter than the rest, they might start shortening up and getting a little boring... just bear with me, we'll start killing people in this chapter and past this)_

**Disclaimer:** Sparkles Snowwy and Sunkist DO NOT own the Hunger Games (thought we'd like to... :P)

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><p><strong>Chapter Five)<strong>

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><p><strong>Alaina<strong>

I wake up around noon to a noise in the distance. I hold my breath for a minute then I remember that I can just shoot them. I silently breathe in a huge gulp of air, and pull out my bow and arrows. I am pretty sure everyone with common sense is on this part of land and not around the useless cornucopia. The cornucopia is sort of important though. Gamemakers choose the cornucopia as a place for the remaining tributes to meet if the game is going slow, and we all need something.

I jump down and see one of the girls from the career pack lurking about. I don't have much time till she sees me, so I quickly go through the decision in my head. _Kill her or don't kill her? Killing her means one more person down and I'm closer to home, not killing her means I save her life and I could die soon... _ Its decision is clear I have to kill her, but I'm going to get to know her first.

"Hey!" I shout. She looks up at me like a deer that I just surprised. Slowly walking toward her, I try to calm her.

"It's O.K. I'm not going to shoot." I can see that she is relieved.

"Well if you want to be in an alliance, then the answer is no," she says, smirking. She seems like the clever type. _Maybe I shouldn't kill her_. I invite her into my tree and we talk about ourselves.

Her name is Hannah and she likes studying our ancestors' history. She tells me all about America the land that Panem lays on. America was once filled with amazing districts; only they were not called districts, they were called states. She pulled out a map that she drew herself of where our districts are.

District 12 is where the states North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia were. I ask her why they have two separate Virginia's but she has no answer. She seems so amazing and now I'm not so sure I can kill anybody.

"Um I gotta go, the rest of them are probably looking for me." She whispers.

"You wanna meet up tomorrow at noon?" I ask because I really want to know more about America, and she doesn't seem so bad.

"Is this gonna be like an alliance?" she asks looking at me suspiciously. I laugh and say maybe I don't really know myself! She jumps down and quickly runs to the cornucopia where the careers are. Tomorrow, I will see Hannah again at noon.

I feel too lazy to get up and do anything, so I just sit in my tree for the rest of the day. Killing a squirrel or two every now and then. After about 5 boring hours I hear Hannah's voice.

"She's here" Hannah says.

"Are you sure?" June asks. I can't see them through the leaves but I can tell Hannah is looking at June with a, 'Of course I'm sure, dipwad' look. _Oh no! _I think. So she planned on bringing the pack here didn't she. Luckily I can jump from tree to tree without anyone knowing. I silently pack up my things and quickly jump to the next tree without falling.

I keep doing that till I get to the 40th tree. I hear a cannon in the distance. Someone has been killed. In my head I go through the people I hoped didn't die. _Brook, Skyler, Tabitha, Laurel, Jewel, and Hannah. _For a few minutes I think about the last name on the list. Hannah was a great person, she knew a lot, and she was really funny. She also told the rest of the careers where I was; that was a big thing to do and she probably should have died. Then I started thinking about it more.

Nobody deserves to die, not even the mean people in the world. If Hannah did die, she didn't deserve to. It doesn't matter who you are or what you did, you are still human and you need to live your life! My stomach feels horrible, and my mouth fills with what I had swallowed down hours ago. I swallowed the sour taste and scrunched my face.

I start to think Hannah was the one that died. I push the thought away and get comfortable in my new home, 40 trees away from the old river. Sighing I close my eyes trying to let my other senses get stronger. When my mom was alive she used to tell me all the time that if you cancel out one of your senses the other 4 senses get stronger. A few trees away a river is flowing, and I smile to no one but myself.

The anthem wakes me up from my sleep. I guess if you keep your eyes closed, eventually you fall asleep. Rubbing my eyes I see one face up in the sky. Hannah is dead, just as I suspected. The face in the sky leaves my line of vision and disappears. I cry happy and sad tears, happy because I am almost home, sad because Hannah is wiped off the face of the earth. I fall asleep again and my mind seems to be blank.

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><p>Waking up with drool on my face was not a good way to start my day. Would you believe me if I told you a squirrel was drooling all over my face from a branch up? I'm not even sure squirrels can drool! It's now dead body fell on the space next to me. Gripping the spear I pull it out. I jump down and walk to the river 2 trees away from me. Wiping my face clean of squirrel drool I think of last night, and holding back my tears, I sulk toward my tree. I grab my set of arrows and my bow and I walk into the forest with my game face on.<p>

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><p><strong>Laurel<strong>

Racing up the mountain was hard. I mean, really, really hard. I wasn't exactly the land type of person, but I also knew that this was the place that the careers would avoid. True, they were supposed to be tough and all that, but even the careers couldn't stand going in extreme weather if they didn't have to. Besides, they would not expect me to be here.

It's a little hard to see, the blinding white is intense. I keep worrying that I'm going up, until I realize that I've been walking in a circle for hours and hours. I stop in my tracks and concentrate. It takes a while for my vision to adjust, but it works, and I see a lush green forest and a thin wooden bridge. The one I crossed without consciousness when I was running from the cornucopia. The one the district five girl fell off of.

I see that the bridge leads to an island with the gleaming cornucopia. It's clear the careers were smart enough not to go back. Then it hits me. The safest place on the island must be the one with the cornucopia on it. It was meant so that the bridge collapsed when you passed over a certain point a little past the middle towards the island I was on. So all I need to do is find a way to cross without dying on.

I decide the first thing I need to do is to get off the mountain and find some shelter. I spot a little notch between two large oak roots when there's rustling in the tree. Someone's there, or something.

OK, maybe I'm not the most noticeable person, but I noticed that there was a little furry animal whose name escaped me- I didn't go through much training in animals, and this one was as nimble as a fish. I wondered if it was edible, but I cut that point out just in case. I knew the careers would expect me to be on a palm tree, but this time, I'll be ready for them.

I find myself a tall palm that doesn't tower and it looks quite average, because these are some of the tallest palms I've ever seen. I climb up, and realize there's already a resident: a tracker jacker nest. I freeze. Slowly, I slide down without disturbing the nasty creatures. I don't really bother them much, it seems like they're subdued by the intense sunlight. I run across the beach, and select the tallest palm there.

It's comfortable up here, out of reach of the tracker jackers, and a good view. First I plan out a few escape routes: down the palm, of course. There's a little rock in the ocean that might work. I could camp there and survive for weeks on the fish and plants there. Or onto a nearing palm right below me, that leads to a few shorter palms, and finally into the woods. It's like rock hopping, which I'm pretty good at.

I'm not sure what's edible around here, so I crack open a coconut and slurp out all the juice. This would serve as my water. I take out the leftover half form yesterday, and I scrape out the whites. It's bland, but I chew it anyway. Food is food, and this isn't called the hunger games for nothing. I try to stuff the other coconut in my pack, but it doesn't fit, so I fill my water bottle with chunks of coconut whites.

I'm snuggling down into my tree when I hear a girl from District 10 under my tree. She shakes the tree. I almost decide to spear her, but then decide not to. It would probably be morally wrong, though I can almost see Billy smirking with that weird smile of his and going 'weak'. That's when girl shakes down a spear. She screams out loud, and races away. I pack my stuff up, jump down, pick up the spear, and decide to move on. I find a new palm tree. I hide in a nook in the rocks by the beach. I take the time to take a swim.

The water's cool, and I'm in my undershirts. I find some edible sea plants, and catch myself a crab. I settle down in the nook, and I watch the recap. There's just one death. We should be expecting some traps lately. I keep my things packed and eat some of the seafood. I settle down and fall asleep.

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><p><strong>Skyler<strong>

I wake up to the sound of a fluttering mockingjay. I didn't know our arena had them. I whistle a little tune, and it turns it's head to look at me. It sings my tune back, and then hurries off to find someone else. My leg hurts, so I rub a bit of the contents of the medicine jar on it, and I instantly feel a cooling sensation.

I push my pant leg into my boot. I jump down from the tree, and the things in my pack make a 'thunk' sound. I test the tension in the slingshot I took from the girl last night. It works pretty well. The rocks in the pack are nice and round, but it feels like they're rigged with something. I put one in my sling and try it out. Within five seconds of the stone hitting the ground, a sleeping gas smokes out from a small puncture in it. I cover my nose and walk in the other direction. This could be to my advantage.

Today, I am abnormally overcome with sadness. I pick a delicate apple from one of the trees I find, and sit under it, like I used to at home after a long day of work. I bend my right knee up, and rest my right elbow upon it, letting my fingers hand free. The apple isn't very big, but it's ever so sweet. I can imagine myself under the tall cedar trees in my district, the smell of sawdust and that succulent aroma of the trees. They smelled so, beautiful.

And then, there was my sweet Joshua. I left him, so far away. If I could only, go back. I miss him so much. It's like, it feels like I'll never be with him again, like I've left him in a world of darkness. I can see him now, chopping away. It's probably about time for our lunch break. He's wiping the sweat from his brow, and he's looking over at my station. I usually stand right there, to his left, and I'm not there. It's like I just vanished. Over a week he's been without me. I can't believe it.

My brown hair plasters itself to my face as the wind arouses the leaves around me, rattling with infuriating hissing. I feel a tear about to escape me, and I wipe it away quickly with the denim of my gloves.

Suddenly, There's a thunk in the tree I'm laying against. I spear is lodged in it. I don't know who the spear belongs to, but the first thing I think about doing is to run. I drop the core of my apple and sprint away, trying to release pressure on my leg. Joshua's still buried deep in my mind, and while I'm not looking, I trip over a stone, and fall, pressing my palms to the ground. I scamper up and keep running.

My first two days haven't gone to well, and I don't know how long I can keep this up. I get my footing on the bark of a tree and start climbing, the splinters puncturing my hands. I wince, but I don't stop. I keep climbing, farther and farther, until I think there's no way my pursuer can be anywhere close. My fingertips are bloody and covered in splinters, but my gloves broke most of my fall and protected my palms from the splinters. I look down, and just in case they're close, I mimic the mockingjay alarm, hoping any other mockingjays have heard me. I don't know why, but I just feel safer knowing the mockingjays understand what's going on.

I can't stay in this tree forever, and it's early morning. I still don't have any water either. I have time to find a water source. I jump down about ten feet without injuring myself, and trek uphill to look for a source of that clear, cold liquid. I didn't pick up any purifier packs, so I'll just drink it like it is. That's what I used to do back home. Hours in the woods with Joshua. We would just, kneel there, and drink up as much water as we could. Sometimes we'd even have competitions to see who could gulp down the most water without bursting like a water balloon, or a bird when you feed it uncooked rice. I would always win. I could stomach most things without getting sick.

All at once, I can hear the faint trickling of water from my left. I run in that direction, until I find the source. It's a little cavern, with a trickle of water pouring from the top. I instantly place my mouth under the trickle and guzzle down the cold liquid. It's so refreshing, that I let some fall down into the back of my shirt, and wet my hair in it. The cavern seems big enough for one person, so I slip inside, where I find nothing but floor and wall. This is a perfect new hideout. As long as I can make it look like no one's been here. This place is mine.

I finally feel confident that I can win this thing. This is for real. Let the true Hunger Games, begin.

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><p><strong>Jewel<strong>

We decide to separate and look for future dead people. Hannah heads to the bridge, and Becky, June, and I spread out in the forest. I tiptoe looking around me. When I'm halfway into the forest, something comes out and attacks me!

A crazy looking girl screams "AAAHHHHH!" I pull out my spear and throw it at her missing her hip by 2 inches. The lunatic comes running at me with wild eyes, and hair like a crow's nest. Tacking me on the ground she looks at me, finding an open place to cut me with her shard of rock. I squirm around but she is stronger than I am, and with a satisfied look on her face she cuts my hand.

"And they said you careers were ready..." She whispers sinisterly in my ear.

I try not to cry while she cuts my other hand. I say my goodbyes to the 2 people I love the most in my head, sure that I'm going to die. She is about to cut my forehead with a new shard of rock, when she looks up suddenly.

"Someone else is coming. I'll let her finish you off," she says while getting up. The girl runs away thinking I can't get up. Sure it's a struggle but I manage to stand. I hear the sound of Emeralda's grunt to my northwest. I can tell I have about one minute before she comes to take me to my death.

Running is all right because the girl didn't cut my leg. I slow to a stop at our hideout and stare at my hands. My right hand wasn't cut too bad, but she made a deep cut in my left. Blood runs down my arms and I start to cry. "Hey are you O.K?" Hannah asks sweetly. I look up and her smile fades. She can tell that I'm in pain because she quickly rushes to my side.

Luckily Hannah has a first aid kit, and her mom is a nurse. Hannah puts Noloctain, a very good ointment in district one, on both my cuts. More hot tears start spilling out of my eyes. The Noloctain burns and I grit my teeth so I don't scream. Whenever I was sick at home and April put ointment on my forehead, she would say if its burning it's working. I can almost hear her telling me that I will be fine. Next Hannah wraps my hands in bandages and tells me not to worry so much about them.

We sit and wait for the other 3 to come back. Hannah tells me everything she knows about healing, America, and her district. Having her company makes me feel safe and happy.

"Are your hands better?" She asks me. I tell her they feel better but I don't know if they look better. She instructs me to change the wrap every 3 days. Now that I know all of her healing secrets, I can take care of people too. Hannah scrubbed my arm to get the blood out, but some of it wouldn't leave no matter how painfully she scrubbed.

"Let's get down to business." Becky says. June hasn't seen anyone, and neither has Becky or me. Hannah says she saw Alaina and that Alaina would be in her tree all day. We head over to the bridge and June demands that we stop.

"The bridge will collapse if you walk right across it." She informs. We walk on the sides of the bridge and try not to step in the middle pathway. Finally safe across, we run to the willow trees we saw the night before.

"She's in this tree." Hannah explains.

"Are you sure? Because we saw this tree yesterday and no one was here." June asks. Hannah looks at her like 'Of course I'm sure, dummy.' I see Alaina rushing from tree to tree quickly and silently. I didn't want the rest to see her so I kept quiet. June rushed up the tree then scurried down.

"There isn't anyone here!" June sighs. Becky's face looked red and angry.

"YOU LIED!" Becky almost yelled. I stepped in front of the shivering Hannah with my arms out.

"Becky calm down, maybe Alaina heard us and scampered away!" I explained my voice shaking. She acted as if she couldn't hear me. June and Cat were hiding behind a tree covering their ears and closing their eyes. Becky shoved me with such force that I flew five trees away in front of Cat and June. Hannah fell to the ground on her knees begging to live, she was crying and shivering. Becky didn't listen to her pleas and she picked Hannah up by the collar and shoved a small knife in her throat.

"HANNAH!" June, Cat, and I screamed together. I knew some other vicious tribute might find us, and so did the others, but we didn't care. We rushed to her side as Becky pulled the knife out of her neck. Hannah had a hole the size of my finger nail in her throat. She whispered something to me. _Win for me. _Tears were spilling out of my eyes once again as I stared at the girl dying. I promised her that I would try my best as her eyes started to close and her heart beat stopped.

I got up and I set her head down gently on the ground. June was whisper yelling at Becky a few feet away. I knew the game makers wanted us to leave so they could collect the dead body, so I motioned for Cat to follow me. June and Becky noticed we were leaving so they ran and caught up. Cat was holding my hand and we were both crying. The whole way back it was tense and quite other than the sobs coming from 2 of our mouths. When we got back I got Hannah's stuff and packed up. The anthem started so the rest stepped outside, but I stayed. "Come on Jewel" Cat whispered. She held out her hand and I hesitated to hold onto it. Finally I decided that I need to see her smiling one last time.

In the middle of the night when Becky was sleeping, June, Cat and I escaped and ran away. We all agreed that Becky could not be trusted and that she would kill us soon if we stayed with her. Becky is a heavy sleeper so we could slip away without her knowing. June found another hill on the other part of the island, so we stayed there. I cried myself to sleep and prayed that Hannah was happy now.

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><p><strong>Brook<strong>

I know it's time to move on. The careers will find me sooner or later if I stay here. I hear rustling in the bushes, and see a district ten girl running through the woods. After she leaves, I hop down onto the ground and keep moving into the forest, where it's denser and wilder. The hill slopes up, until it's starting to clear from forest to jagged, rocky cliffs. I keep walking until it gets a little cold, then I head down to regular temperature. I'll stay here.

I sort out my things and make a mini camp under the shelter of a rock. No one would be able to see me here, and the echoing of the bare spots would be a great place to hear someone coming.

It's well into the day when I hear screaming and crying. I decide it's best for me to check it out. I see that the careers are arguing, one, Jewel, the one we ate lunch with, is screaming at a prissy girl from district four. I haven't seen her before; she must have taken private lessons. Stuck up.

Anyway, Jewel is trying to calm miss stuck-up down, and two other girls are crying. I didn't know careers could be soft; but apparently, they are. One girl is lying on the ground. You could see the scarlet from miles away. There's a thin but deep streak running down her neck. I think another girl, Alaina, from district 12, got away, and that's why Miss stuck-up killed the other career. Talk about anger issues. The only other time I ever saw something like this was back in district seven when one of the boys got pissed at my best friend, Blake. Of course, I told them they could go hump a tree, but that was different.

I decide that I need to move. If I get in a five-mile radius of that weird angry stuck-up girl, she's bound to kill me without reason. I'm not taking any chances. I head up the mountain. My tounge feels like sandpaper anyways, and the water's probably going to be better up here, not to mention the snow.

The climate changes pretty rapidly. Five minutes ago, I'm practically drenched in sweat, the next thing I know, I am blasted with freezing cold air that makes me sneeze.

I'm starting to fill my water container with a bit of cool water when I realize that there are footprints. I stick my boot next to one of them. They are coming from a different direction from mine, and are much smaller. I think of the people that they might belong to. There are the careers, but they travel in a pack, so that crosses out Miss Anger management issues and Jewel, along with Alaina, because I'm pretty sure she went back into the woods.

That leaves Skyler, Tabitha, and Laurel, along with that weird district ten girl, that I saw running past my tree earlier. She was headed to the beaches, so I doubt it was her. Skyler has about the same shoe size as me, so I cross her off. That leaves Tabitha and Laurel. Either one of them would make a worthy ally; besides, I need someone to talk to. Believe it or not, I haven't really talked to anything but a squirrel in two days straight. I'm on a roll.

I finish filling up my bottle, then head down the mountainside, following the footprints. Maybe they will lead

I light a fire with deer droppings. It's the most useful thing I've learned in district 7. Lighting poop fires make no smoke. It smells really bad, but I know the careers won't catch me this way. If anyone ever wondered why, deer poop is extremely dry when left out for a while, so throw in a few dry sticks and voila!

I use the fire to warm the water. Then I put in the purifier. The 30 minutes isn't as terrible as it seems. I take the time to spot a squirrel, Hit it with a knife, Retrieve it, and my knife, and then take the time to skin it, and cook it. I'm pretty sure it's been over 30 minutes when the squirrel is cooked, so I take a nice sip of purified melted snow, wondering if Laurel or Tabitha is anywhere near here.

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><p>Walking up to the stupid anthem is lovely, really. Okay, I'm joking, our anthem sounds like someone stuffed a dry worm down a frog's throat, and then forced it to croak. I mean, seriously, I could sing better than that. The girl that Miss stuck-up killed today appears in the sky. I feel kind of bad for her, I'm pretty sure I would tell that Miss stuck-up to go hump a tree, but I really don't want to die. I'm only fifteen after all, I have a life left to live.<p>

But I fall asleep in the tree I'm in, and hope that no one kills me in my sleep. Then again, I'd rather it be someone more decent, like Jewel, or that District ten girl, not miss anger management issues.

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><p><strong>Tabitha<strong>

It's my second day in the arena. I wake up to the tiny chirps of the birds in the trees. I can tell today will be a good day. I jump down from my tree, my items jingling in my pack. I pat it, out of reflex, and start walking.

I soon reach an apple orchard, and pick a few apples for myself. Maybe if I find Alaina, I'll give her one. But I don't feel like going around just looking for her. I need to find a permanent place to hide out. Walking is tiring, if all you're wearing on your feet are hard leather boots. I stop by a little stream and take a drink, not bothering to use my water purifier. I don't see the point of it. The water is cool and refreshing in my mouth. I splash some on my face and keep moving. My headband has soaked up some of it, so my forehead should be cool for an hour or two.

I find myself in front of a hollow tree. The hole seems just enough to fit into, and it's relatively close to that stream. I shove my things inside the whole and then crawl in myself. It's really cozy in here, and I could pin my blanket up to hide myself if I needed to. I pull it out and tuck it into some cracks that I dug with my razor blade. The blanket flap is also big enough to still use for a blanket. I can hide myself and keep warm at the same time.

I'm all of a sudden not feeling very well. Maybe I should have used that water purifier. But I pull out my pack of beef jerky and chew on a piece slowly. I really don't want to do anything today. I just want to sit here in this tree and stay here. If I stay really quiet, maybe no one will bother me. I pull out one of my apples and shine it with my shirt. I slowly take a bite. It's crunchy. The last time I ate an apple it was all mushy. I hated it, but luckily, this one was the best one yet.

I soon get bored of playing around in my tree, and wander around, hoping to find something useful to do with my time. I've managed to catch a few fish with the help of my knife, but I have no choice but to eat one raw. I can't risk drawing attention to myself with a fire, but I couldn't make one anyway, so I'm in bad shape.

After I fish, I stock up with a few berries I found on a bush. I know they're not poison because I ate them once or twice before back home. I think they call these, blueberries? These aren't as sweet as the ones I ate, because those blueberries were genetically mutated to taste better and grow larger, but these still taste okay.

I run back to my hidey-hole in the tree and place the berries in a dent on the inside. I think they'll be safe there. I also take a sip of the water in my pack. I feel much better now, after letting the water from the stream drain from my system.

I had planned on watching the sky tonight to see if Alaina was still in the games, but I fell asleep before I even heard the cannons fire. I hope she's all right. Tomorrow, maybe I'll see her again, and we can catch up on some things.

* * *

><p><strong>Sunkist:<strong> Sooo it's done! The next one should be up in a week or so once I'm done editing it, I PROMISE there will be a BIG event (most likley a death) that happens in it. So, uh, be excited and all that! :D reviews would be lovely.


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